


The Only Choice

by crammit



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Vampire Sex, Vampire Violence, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-22
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2017-12-06 02:04:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 80,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/730350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crammit/pseuds/crammit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Brittany walked into Santana's inn all those years ago, neither knew just how much their lives would change. When a dark force from Santana's past threatens to destroy those she loves, she'll stop at nothing to protect them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Calm Before The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

Leisurely, I reach over and run the tip of one finger down the strong line of your back. The heavy drapes are closed tight against the sunshine and the few candles flickering by the bed caress your skin like another lover. You stir softly and murmur in your sleep, shifting closer to me but never waking. Reaching down, I pull the covers a little lower on your hips and let my palm rest against the warm skin of your back, soothing you back into your dreams.

_200 years_. 200 years I've lain at your side and yet the sight of you in sleep still moves me like nothing else. Fierce love grips my heart and the power of it fires in my blood and I can feel my eyesight sharpening, turning the ochre color of my rebirth. The hunger surges and instinctively, I lean closer to you.

Taking a deep breath, I let the feelings flare and simmer into familiar warmth. We've been traveling for days and you need your rest. With one last caress to your fair skin, I rise from our bed and head for the settee by the window. Comfortable with my nakedness, I reach for a robe out of respect for our human companions. Your jealousy, though tempered through the years, has chased more than one admiring servant from the house in fear and I'd rather not tempt the fates. Loyal companions are hard to find and I'm quite happy with the ones we have now.

Sitting down, I reach for the phone and call down to the kitchen, smiling as the call is answered before the first ring completes. _Definitely happy with the ones we have now_.

"Yes, mistress?" A cultured voice answers and my smile deepens in recognition.

"Cian? We weren't expecting you for another two days. What a pleasant surprise." Affection rumbles through my voice as I settle further into the soft cushions. "What are you doing in my kitchen?"

I hear him laugh at the teasing note in my voice and have to fight down my own bark of laughter at his answer. "I was hungry and as it appears your appetite was otherwise engaged, I decided to take a meal in the kitchen."

"Alone?" I look over as you turn in your sleep, your hand automatically reaching for me across the bed.

The pause on the phone tells me all I need to know and I feel a tug of sympathy in my heart. "Oh, Cian…"

Before I can continue, he cuts me off with a rueful sigh. "Now, sweetheart, none of that. She calls to me, Santana. Even if things never...well, it doesn't matter. Her presence is enough. It has to be."

The wistful tone in his voice prompts me to stand and make my way over to the side of the bed, reaching down to brush my fingers against your hand. I understand better than most what it is to want, to crave something you believe you can never have so I know why it is he sits downstairs in my kitchen.

Sits and lets Alexandra laugh and talk to him, feeding his belly with food he can't taste anymore while another hunger burns inside him. She must come to him willingly and while he could make her believe that is her choice, I've known the goodness of his heart for too long. That is not the path he would choose for her or for himself. So he waits for her to come to him and welcomes the pain it brings because if and when she does make that choice, nothing that came before that moment will have mattered at all.

_Oh yes, Cian. I understand you completely_. I feel your fingers tangle with mine and look down to find you watching me, a serious expression on your beautiful face. I sometimes forget that my emotions are not just my own anymore.

_Shhhh, my love. It doesn't matter…we are here together. Now and forever_. I let your voice wash over me and smile, answering your unspoken words with my own.

_Forever._ "So Cian, tell me. What feast does she tempt you with today?" I deliberately lighten my tone and smirk as you start to tug me back to the bed.

The grimace in his voice again tests my ability to hold back my laugh but you show no such compunction as you giggle behind your free hand. "Some sort of thing called tofu and if I'm honest, I'm almost glad I can't taste this horrible…" His voice trails off and a few moments later, I hear Alexandra's husky voice call out in greeting as she enters the kitchen.

"Delicious supper that Alexandra has been so gracious to prepare." He continues smoothly and this time I do laugh. Stretching out beside you on the bed, I trace my fingers across your face and arch an eyebrow as your hand makes its way to the tie on my robe.

"Well, you'd better like it. Dropping in early without a word of warning. You're lucky you even get that." Your grin flashes as you hear her voice and I nod my head. _She likes him_.

"I know, Alexandra. And I am pleased. See?" My ears pick up the strain in his voice and I have to cover the phone to block the laughter as I picture him eating the tofu. I don't have it in my heart to tell him that she purposely prepares these meals for him. This is much more fun.

I am grateful the phone is covered as your hand suddenly pulls the sash from my robe, reaching back and letting it flutter unwanted to floor behind you. I control a groan, or at least I think I do, as your fingers brush low against my stomach.

Cian's voice dispels that notion as he whispers in the phone. "Not fair."

"You have no idea. Tell Alexandra I'll call back. Later." Without another thought to our houseguest, I toss the phone to the foot of the bed.

"I thought you'd never get off the phone." Your breath brushes against my neck and you push me back to lay flat on the bed. Your tongue licks my pulse point and this time I don't fight the hunger that burns instantly through my body.

Grabbing your hair, I pull you back to look into your eyes. All these years and the sight of those beautiful blue eyes turning golden excites me like nothing else. "It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." This last bit is delivered in a rush as your mouth covers mine, the kiss deep and wet at the first touch.

_I want you_.

_I know_.

I groan as you lean over to straddle my hips, your hands pushing my robe to either side of my body. Grabbing my hands, you place them on your hips and then your eyes are burning into mine.

"Santana?"

"Yes?"

"Will you let me have you?"

"Yes."

"Now?"

"Always."

The familiar call and response floods my senses with memories, as it always does. Moaning, I watch as your lips pull back slightly, exposing the sharpened points of your teeth. Your hand makes its way down my stomach as your other hand braces itself against the pillows above my shoulders.

As you lower your mouth to my neck, I'm brought back to that life altering day so long ago…


	2. 200 Years Ago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting Brittany for the first time, Santana is forced to acknowledge the connection between them even as she tries to figure out just where Brittany fits into her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See Chapter 1 for Author Notes

_200 years ago…_

"I don't really care all that much what he thinks, Bastian." I let the exasperation I feel edge into my voice and pinch the bridge of my nose. It has been years since I've experienced a headache but old habits are hard to break.

"Santana, be reasonable…" My eyes flash open and before he can blink, I'm across the room. I let him claw futilely at my hand as it lifts him off the ground and pins him to the wall.

I can hear your heartbeat pick up as you sit very still in one of the chairs by my desk. I let the enticing sound of the blood whooshing through your veins feed my anger and I hold Bastian a little longer than I normally would.

"Reasonable? You want me to be reasonable?" Squeezing once for good measure, I release his neck and let him drop with an audible thud to the floor at my feet. "Darling, I am being reasonable. In fact, I am almost sure you don't want me to be any more reasonable than I just was."

His raspy voice whispers into the room as I turn to face you, winking once for good measure. "No, no. That's okay."

Your face is a mix of nerves and something else. Tuning my senses to you, I try to read whatever it is that has your cheeks flushed, the warmth a tease to my ever present hunger. Despite your blush, you meet my gaze with a steady look of your own and it's only my excellent sight that allows me to pick out the hummingbird beat of the pulse against your neck.

Walking over, I drop gracefully into the chair next to you and open my mouth to speak. The grunting and rustling from the floor closes my mouth with an audible snap and I start to rise. A soft touch to my arm stops me and I freeze halfway out of the chair.

"Let me, Santana." You smile at me as you head over to where Bastian is trying to lift himself off of the floor. Leaning back in the chair, I run my tongue along the growing points of my teeth as I admire your lean frame beneath the fabric of your simple dress.

I watch as you offer your hand to pull him up, angling your body so his glare is cut off by your silhouette. "Bastian, I understand that this is a trying time for all of you but if you could just try and understand where she is coming from…"

Closing my eyes, I let the soothing tones of your voice ease the tension creeping around my shoulders. I let my mind drift as I once again examine these growing feelings I have for you…

* * *

When you first showed up at the doorstep of my inn over a year ago, I'll admit I was prepared to dismiss your interest in employment without a second thought. You didn't look strong enough to hold the door open, much less carry a tray. Never mind that the position I was looking for would have been better served by a familiar, not some stranger showing up in the dead of night.

A beautiful stranger with skin the color of moonlight and eyes like a spring sky. But a stranger nonetheless.

I watched as you sat by the fireplace, the blonde curls of your hair inviting the firelight to slip and slide along its length. Your hands remained steady on your lap and it was only my heightened senses that allowed me to see the tremors that ran in uneven intervals along your slender body. It was intoxicating and I had to force myself to listen as my inn manager spoke to me about you.

"…she claims she heard about the opening the next town over but honestly, it's not that well known. Only a few familiars have been told and she doesn't look like one of their clan. I don't trust her and I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable to have her show up like this. Let me handle the situation quietly for you, Santana. I'll send Declan to town to see where the information is coming from."

He must take my silence as agreement because he turns and signals for Declan to come forward. My eyes haven't left you and it occurs to me that there is an easier way to find out the information.

"No, Robert." He stops with Declan at his side and they both watch me. "Bring her to my office. I'll speak with her and find out all we need to know."

With small bows, they agree and without giving them another thought, I head upstairs to await your arrival.

A few moments later, there is a soft knock at the door and instead of calling out for it to open, I walk over and open the door myself. It'll be easier to read you if I keep you off balance.

"Welcome…" I pause and wait for you to state your name, my senses tingling before you even speak.

"Brittany." At the sound of your name, something shifts hard inside me and I feel the door handle cracking under my hand. My face never shifts from the polite smile I have fixed there and I force myself to relax.

"Santana." I reach my hand forward and clench my jaw as your hand slides into mine in greeting. In that instant, everything becomes clear and the only thought I can settle on as emotions rush around inside me is... **Finally**.

We stand like that for a few seconds, long enough for me to read the play of emotions over your face. You can sense this connection as well but there is fear shimmering around the edges of this recognition and I make a conscious effort to release your hand and step back.

Indicating the chair closest to the window, I direct you to sit down as I walk over to lean against the glass. Letting the backdrop of the night sky soothe my senses, I lean against the windowsill and address you.

"So, Brittany. Tell me. Why are you here?" Your hands are still tangled in your lap but your chin rises as you answer me and despite my good intentions, I feel sneaky fingers of lust tickle along my skin.

"It was my understanding that you were looking for a helper for the inn and I am looking for work." Your eyes drop from mine at that and I lean forward, sharpening my senses even further.

"Is that so? How did you know my inn was looking for someone? I have not put out a banner yet declaring our need." I hold my breath as I wait for your answer and I realize that I am hoping what falls from your lips is not a lie. I don't understand this instant spark between us but I'm reluctant to see it end so soon on a lie.

Your hands separate and fall, as fists, to your sides. Your eyes skitter across my face, lingering at my mouth briefly before settling on something far beyond the reach of the window. In a low voice, you speak. "I was told."

"Told by whom? I've just informed you that I haven't released the banner yet."

I watch as you take a breath and I can sense the lie before it ever leaves your lips. Warningly, I address you, moving closer into your personal space and forcing you to look at me. "Brittany, I'm giving you this one chance. Right now. Do not lie to me."

Your eyes hold mine and I feel the arc of awareness in the space between us. The ochre is seeping in and I close my eyes against your scrutiny. Pushing it back, I barely control the jolt as I feel you stand before me, bravely, or foolishly, placing your hand on my shoulder.

"I know what you are." Your voice is barely a whisper but it sounds like a shout through my head. Without thinking, I grab your arms and spin you around, pinning you to the wall behind me.

On a soft growl, I lean in to you, keeping my eyes on yours as I allow their color to turn. "Do you? Then you know you risk more than your life coming here tonight. Who sent you?" I let my gaze rake across your body, barely registering the shudder underneath my hands. "You don't look like one of his."

You hesitate a fraction too long and I feel my anger rise at the thought that he may have sent you here.

I press harder against you and let my teeth show behind a sharp smile. "Don't play with me, Brittany. I can hurt you in ways you cannot imagine." Leaning my head down, I let my teeth graze across your neck and find myself fighting back a moan as your body presses into me. Before I can even question that response, your hands are between us and I'm being shoved back against the chair, my quick reflexes the only thing preventing me from tumbling backward.

"I will never be his and I would rather die a thousand times at your hands than have my name spoken in the same sentence with his." Your body is trembling and your fists are curled more for protection than aggression and despite my shock, I feel a slow admiration build for you.

It takes quite a person to physically provoke a person such as myself and it's that audacity that grants you a reprieve from retaliation. Sitting in the chair, I cross my legs and fold my hands over my flat stomach. Inclining my head, I urge you to continue speaking.

"Very well, Brittany. Why are you here? I warn you though. Bravado will only get so far. I don't tolerate insolence. Even from one as beautiful as you." I watch as you take deep breaths to steady yourself and with a sweep of my hand, I grant you permission to sit in the other chair.

As you sit, I let my eyes wander briefly over your body, resting lightly on the hint of cleavage between the ties of your blouse. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I allow a small smile to grace my lips. Santana, something things never change…

"It's true. I know who you are and I know what you are. That's why I'm here. Lucas didn't send me." At his name, my lips curl and I see your eyes widen as my teeth flash dangerously. Swallowing hard, you continue. "My cousin travels with your Cian and he is the one who sent me here to find you."

Considering, I turn my gaze towards the window, letting my senses decide whether you lie to me or not. "Why didn't Cian send word himself that you would be arriving here to see me?"

"I don't know. My cousin's letter arrived only a few days ago with instructions to come here. He was on his way to meet up with Cian and had not mentioned my situation to him yet." The truth falls from your lips as I received word just yesterday that Cian had been traveling and was unreachable. At least, through normal methods.

Turning back to you, I address the most important part of your explanation. "What situation drives you to my inn in the middle of the night?

A shuddering breath sweeps through your body and despite my intentions to remain aloof and judge the honesty of your story, my hand reaches over and covers yours. "A few weeks ago, my family and I were traveling home from visiting a sick family friend. We stopped for the night two towns away from this one. Our horse had thrown a shoe and my father decided it was a sign that we had been traveling too hard. He thought a night of good food in the presence of other people would be nice change of pace from the grumpy mood of our own company.

You pause here and I curl my fingers against your palm, no longer wondering at my need to comfort you as your other hand holds tight to my wrist. "Everything was as it should be for a night at an inn. People were relaxed and my family and I were enjoying the warm food and the silly jokes my sister insisted on telling anyone who would listen. How could we have known…there was no way we could have seen…"

Your voice cracks and I'm glad your gaze is averted as I feel the anger burn away the natural brown of my eyes. Gently, I remove my hand from your grasp and walk over to the desk, pouring you a glass of water. Keeping my back to you, I fight to rein my anger in, not wanting to frighten you with its intensity.

Softly, I prompt you. "What happened next, Brittany?"

"Hell. That's what happened."


	3. One Dark Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashing back to the night she met Brittany and learned what happened to her and her family, Santana struggles to come to terms with her growing feelings for Brittany.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see Chapter 1 for Author's Notes.

" _Hell. That's what happened."_

"My family and I were finishing our meal and getting ready to retire to our room when we heard the first screams start outside. My father yelled for us to go to the room and lock the door. But with all the people were running around, my father and I got separated from my mother and little sister."

Taking a deep breath, I keep my eyes averted as I turn back to hand you the water, needing a few moments more to ease the lighter color from my eyes. Sitting back down in the chair, I keep my posture relaxed and give you the chance to gather your thoughts, reaching forward to take the now empty water glass back from your trembling fingers. I let a small smile form at your whispered gratitude and keep my surprise in check as you take my hand once more, seeming to draw comfort from the contact.

"I saw my mother pick up my little sister and I heard her call for me even over all the yelling. Some of the men had gone to the backroom with the innkeeper to gather weapons and were getting ready to go outside when the front door just burst open." Your voice catches and I find myself leaning closer to you, covering your hand with both of mine to try and still the pronounced shaking. Closing your eyes, you take a steadying breath and then look at me, sharing with me your horror of that night.

Despite the sheen of tears in your eyes, your gaze remains steady as you tell of the screaming and yelling and blood as a small handful of men fell upon the people at the inn. "My father had grabbed me and pushed me under one of the tables. My mother and sister had already been halfway to the stairs and he must have realized we weren't going to make it to them in time. I can still hear him yelling to them, begging them to run and get to the room. I remember reaching forward to where I could see his boots standing next to the table."

You release my hands and stand, walking slowly over to the window and wrapping your arms around yourself. Giving you a minute, I head over and pour two whiskeys, leaving yours behind you at the edge of my desk and coming to stand a few feet from you, watching you as you stare out into the night.

"My hand was covered in blood before I even reached him. I heard my mother screaming and then...then she just stopped. My father took a few steps and then fell back into the table I was hiding under. Something else crashed into the table and I heard the wood cracking before half the table fell and trapped me between the back wall and the rest of the table. There were a few more screams and then it was quiet. I could see a little bit through the cracked wood of the table and I remember I wanted to move, to try and get to my family but then I saw him."

Pressing a clean kerchief into your hand, I hold my other hand up as you jerk around to face me, speaking softly as I gesture to your face. "Brittany, you're crying."

"Here, drink this." Handing you the whiskey, I reclaim the now damp kerchief back and guide you to sit back down in the chair as I rest against the front of my desk and face you. Swirling the whiskey in my own glass, I finish it in one sip and watch as you follow suit, your face crinkling at the burn. "You saw Lucas."

Nodding your head, you brush your hair back from your face and inhale deeply, continuing your story as you hand me back the empty glass. "I didn't know who, or what, he was at the time. I just saw a man standing there, blood dripping from his mouth and staining the front of his white shirt. He was smiling and laughing as he spoke to the other men around him. I was so scared that I couldn't move. I wanted to close my eyes but I couldn't look away. My family and I had heard tales of demons that drank blood and only walked at night but they were just stories to us. Things told to keep people in their homes at night. But as I watched him look around the room, smiling before he turned to leave with the other men, I knew then that everything we had heard was true."

"What happened after he and his men left?"

"I was so scared. I kept thinking that they were going to come back and find me and know I was still alive, so I stayed under the table. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew it was light outside and I could hear voices moving in the room. I heard my cousin among them and called out to him as I made my way from under the table."

Moving to pour both of us more whiskey, I listen as you tell me about your cousin keeping you shielded from the sight of your family as he led you out of the room. I walk back over and sit next to you, handing you the glass and watching as fresh tears fall while you tell me the rest of your story.

Your cousin and a small band of men had been tracking Lucas and his men for a few weeks. Your voice broke as you spoke of your cousin's anguish that they had not been able to get to Lucas sooner, as if that could have prevented the random chance of your family stopping at this particular inn on that particular night. I reached again to take your hand as you told of your cousin holding you back as the bodies were brought out of the inn to be burned, to cut the risk that they might turn into the same demon he was hunting. Later that day as you sat with your cousin and the men he traveled with, he told you about Lucas and his kind and about what they were.

"What I am." I interrupt your story and turn to face you more directly. "A vampire. You've seen what we are capable of and yet you still came here. Why?"

Keeping a hold of my hands when I would have pulled them from you, you continue speaking. "Also traveling with my cousin was a man named Cian. My cousin told me that while like Lucas in form, he was nothing like Lucas in spirit. He said that Cian didn't kill humans and in fact, hunted down and killed the ones that hurt humans. Like people, my cousin said, vampires could choose to be either good or evil."

Scoffing a little bit at how black and white your cousin made everything sound, I squeeze your hands once before releasing you, going to sit behind my desk and opening the bottom drawer. "Brittany, trust me when I tell you that we are anything but one or the other." Reaching into the drawer, I withdraw a small pouch, leaving it on the side of the desk as I shut the drawer and address you again. "Why did your cousin send you to me?"

Your eyes flick briefly to the item on my desk before you fold your hands in your lap and continue with your story. "I traveled with my cousin until we reached the next town, where he wanted me to stay. He was heading up to meet with Cian and some other men and where they were going wasn't going to be safe for me. He told me that he would send word for me soon and to trust whatever he wanted me to do. A few days ago, I received a letter telling me that I was to come here and see you and that you were like Cian and that I could trust you. I packed the few things I had and made my way here and now, here I am."

Holding your gaze, I reach my fingers over to the pouch, letting the velvet warm in my hand. "While I can appreciate your cousin's concern, I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do with you." I can see your pulse jump at my words and despite the grief that sits on your features, my teeth ache with the flash of need to press them to your skin. Swallowing, I reign in my thoughts and focus instead on your current predicament. "What can you do?"

"Do?" Parroting my words, you furrow your brow in confusion and the adorable look is so out of place for the heaviness of the situation that I can't help but smile at you.

"Yes, Brittany. What can you do? Can you cook? Can you sing? Can you tell stories? Can you serve? I run an inn and since you're going to be staying here, you will have to earn your keep like everyone else. I think that…"

"I can stay?"

My words are interrupted by your soft voice and I feel my smile soften as I take in your hopeful expression. "Brittany, I have known Cian for a very long time and I trust him implicitly. If your cousin has earned Cian's trust, than he has mine without question. He sent you to me to provide you with my protection and you shall have it. That does not mean that I won't make you work for it, however. So, what can you do?"

Sitting up a little straighter in the chair, you answer me. "Well, I definitely can't cook. But I used to help at my aunt's inn when I was younger so I can serve. I'm also really good with numbers. And…well, I…never mind."

Your sudden blush captures my attention and I prop my elbows on the desk and gesture for you to continue. "No, please tell me. What is this third thing that forces you to find the floor more interesting than my face?"

I admire your spirit as you meet my eyes and speak, the rush of blood beneath the surface of your skin distracting me slightly. "I can dance. I've been dancing since forever and I am really good at it."

Covering my mouth on a fake cough, I take a quick second to force my teeth not to react to the images you just created. Clearing my throat, I take a deep breath and bring myself to the matter at hand, grabbing the item on my desk to place it in front of you. "That's…that's good to know. For right now, you can help serve. I'll have Robert show you to your room tonight so you can rest and, in the morning, you will see Vero. She'll help show you how things are run in the dining area."

You wait for my nod of encouragement before you reach out to open the pouch, dumping the contents into your open hand. "What is this, Santana? It's beautiful."

I look at the pendant sitting in your hand, the silver necklace glinting in the light from the fireplace. "It's my crest. You are to wear it all times, Brittany. I am very serious about this." Pushing back from the desk, I walk behind you and reach forward to take the necklace from your hand. "Stand up."

Stepping back, I wait as you push the chair back and come to stand before me. Holding the necklace up, you realize my intent and reach up to hold your hair away from your neck. I reach my hands through your bent arms and hold the necklace open as I look at you. "This identifies you as mine. You are free to come and go as you please, of course. This necklace affords you certain courtesies but it also grants you my protection as well as the protection of the people who work for me. Do you accept this?"

Your blue eyes seem to darken as you lick your lips and answer in the affirmative. "I will be yours."

Hesitating, I hold the clasp open and watch as your pulse races just below the surface of your skin. I'm struck with the sudden knowledge that this moment will come to mean more than just the acceptance of my protection and as I open my mouth to question you, I hear the heavy footfalls of Robert approaching my office door.

Knocking briskly, his voice calls out from behind the door. "Santana, Declan needs to speak with you about an urgent matter."

Never turning my eyes from you, I call out to Robert over my shoulder. "Fine. Tell him I'll be down in a few moments and then come back up here and wait for Brittany. When we are done here, bring her to the room down the hall and set her up for the night."

I wait a few seconds as his footsteps disappear down the steps before clasping the necklace against your neck. Your hands release your hair and I grasp them in mine as they fall to your sides. "Thank you for your trust, Brittany." Stepping away from you, I stand back and gesture towards the door. "We'll speak more tomorrow but for now, please go with Robert and get settled with your things. I'll have the kitchen send up some food and drink, if you'd like."

Your arms are suddenly around me in a crushing hug and shock keeps my hands at my side. "Thank you so much, Santana. I don't know how to repay you but I promise you won't regret this." As quickly as the hug started, it's over and you are striding over to the door, pulling it open and smiling at Robert as he makes a motion for you to follow him.

I walk to the open door and watch as you head down the hallway, your voice animated as you ask Robert about the inn. I reach up and press my fingers lightly against the pendant that sits under my shirt, tracing the whorls I can feel through the material. While it is true that I provide necklaces to those seeking my protection or to those I employ, the necklace that you wear is one out of only two. Frowning, I pull the necklace out from under my shirt and look at it, wondering why I felt compelled to give you the one that matches mine.

* * *

I'm brought back into my current situation by your soft voice as you walk Bastian out of my office. Closing the door behind him, you return to the chair at my side and place your hand on my knee, gracing me with a small smile. "He apologized for making you angry, Santana. He's just frustrated. They both are. They just want to help you, you know."

Gritting my teeth, I go to stand only to be stopped by your gentle pressure on my leg. Heaving out an exasperated sigh, I flop back into the chair and fix you with a petulant stare. "Well, I'm frustrated too. We almost had him. We had Lucas and he slipped right through our fingers. Every week, his path of destruction grows and yet I'm forced to sit idly by, as betrayal after betrayal eats at our ranks. I don't understand why I can't just bring the whole lot of them in here and question them myself."

Answering the knock at my door, you walk over and accept the tray of dinner from Vero with a smile, leaning your hip against the wood and closing out the noise of the dining room downstairs. I watch as you walk over and place the tray down on my desk, barely blinking as you place the mug of heated blood side by side next to your own plate of food. "Sit, Santana. Eat dinner with me."

Turning my chair to face the desk, I reach over and slide your chair next to mine, listening while you laugh at me as I stand until you are sitting once more. Your voice is playful as you glance over at me and pick up your glass of wine. "Such a gentlewoman."

Rolling my eyes, I pick up my mug and cross my legs, leaning back so I can watch you eat. A few moments pass in easy silence before you look over at me, taking a quick sip of wine. "Santana, I know you want to handle things on your own but Cian is right. It's better if whoever is betraying you thinks that you don't know about it. Both Bastian and Cian believe that the ones behind this will get over-confident, believing their successes come in secret, and will show themselves soon."

"They _should_ be confident." Slamming my empty mug on the table, I push back from my desk to pace in front of the fireplace. "Three times now…three times Lucas was warned hours before my men arrived, all traces of him burned from the ground so that we couldn't follow. If Cian wants to wait as more innocents are slaughtered, that will have to weigh on his conscience."

I'm brought up suddenly but your presence in front of me, gently pulling me into a welcomed embrace. Sighing, I rest my hands across your back and accept your comfort. "It weighs on all of you, Santana. Cian knows this. He truly feels this is the best way to bring the betrayers to light. He and Bastian are only asking that you wait just a little longer."

Leaning back in your embrace, I bring one hand to pick up your pendant, both of us looking down as I rub my thumb against the warm metal. "I know you're right, Brittany. I just hate waiting."

"You won't have to wait much longer." Your hand covers mine as we both hold the pendant between us and once again, I'm caught up trying to decipher the look in your eyes. Gently pulling the necklace from my grasp, you hold my hands and swing them playfully at our sides. "Come. Cook made your favorite dessert."

"I don't eat dessert."

"Okay, it's my favorite dessert so you'll just have to share it with me." Letting go of my hands, you clasp your fingers in front of your chest like you're begging.

Grinning, I shake my head at you. "Brittany, you know I can't eat anything that…"

"You can pretend."

As usual, I am helpless against your pout and I throw my hands up in defeat. "Okay. I can pretend. But only because it's your favorite."

Smiling, you grab our dinner tray and make your way down to the kitchen. "If you're not down in a few minutes, I'm coming back up here. My favorite dessert deserves to be celebrated."

Tucking my hands into the pockets of my trousers, I watch the fire flicker against the protective screen of the fireplace and find my thoughts yet again circling to this relationship I have with you. From that first night you showed up at my inn, I knew that there was something between us. Content to let it play out, your transition from server to inn bookkeeper to trusted confidante was seamless. I'd befriended familiars before and had, on rare occasions, taken them to my bed. And while I would have to be a pile of ash to see you and not have desire for you, this relationship is more than just the frequent stirrings of lust I can feel sparking between us. I can't quite put my finger on it and as I hear you call out that I only have a minute left before you are coming up to get me, I decide that it will soon be time to find out exactly what that 'more' might be.


	4. Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to hide from her feelings for Brittany any longer, Santana is approached with a choice that could change hers and Brittany's life forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see Chapter 1 for Author's Notes.

Pretending to celebrate your dessert consisted of me sitting in the kitchen with a glass of warm blood and watching as you devoured each bite of apple pie with the delight of a child. Your smile was worth every grimace I caught on Vero's face as crumbs fell unheeded to the floor, with a few dusting along the tops of your breasts. With your attention distracted as you compliment Vero on her baking, I take a few unobserved moments and allow myself the fantasy of imagining what it would be like to lean closer to you and lick your skin clean. I can so easily imagine the salt of your skin mixing with the sweet bits of the pie and I can't help but think about the other taste, should I apply a little more pressure and break the skin. The sudden click of my teeth startles me and I turn my head to quickly bring the glass to my mouth, the attempt at hiding my rush of desire made futile as you look over and smirk at me.

I hear Vero's name called from the dining area and I keep my eyes on you as she makes her way out of the kitchen. There is a look in your eyes that matches the smirk you just gave me and I can't help but wonder at what game you're playing tonight. Deciding to indulge you, I bring my glass to the table and reach forward to brush my fingertip near your collarbone to clear one of the crumbs. Your quick intake of breath has me leaning forward slightly, the jump of your pulse enticing my fingertip to slide across your skin to press against lightly against your neck.

The blood is rushing through with such force that before I can think to blink it away, my eyes lighten and suddenly your hand is holding tight to my wrist. Swallowing hard, you press my fingertips more firm against your neck and bring your other hand to rest on the outside of my thigh under the table. "Santana…"

My name is barely a whisper from your mouth and yet in your tone I can hear both desire and fear. It is the latter that gives me pause and looking away from you, I will my own desire away and let both my eyes and teeth return to their natural state. Taking a deep breath, I look back at you and am met with a look that I can only describe as disappointment. Your blue eyes are dark, both from the shadows of the kitchen and with something else I can't quite place, and confusion mixes with the lust still thrumming in my veins. I open my mouth to question you but Vero chooses that moment to come back into the kitchen and before the door has finished closing, your hand has dropped mine and you are standing up from the bench.

"Thank you again for the dessert, Vero," Your voice sounds normal enough but my senses allow me to pick up the faint tremble in it anyway. Walking over, you place a quick kiss on Vero's cheek in parting and then pause in the doorway to look over me. Standing up, I meet your eyes and ignore Vero who is pretending not to be watching us. "Goodnight, Santana."

Vero and I both watch as you take your leave of the kitchen and I have a few seconds of peace before Vero's voice breaks the silence. "Well?"

"Well what, Vero?" Turning back to the table, I pick up your plate and my empty glass and walk them over to the cleaning bucket, making a point to avoid eye contact with my cook. My inquiry is met with silence and I toss the dishes into the bucket with more force than necessary, watching as the water splashes up and over onto my shoes. Growling, I turn around and glare at Vero, fully intent on taking out my petulant mood on her. However before I can speak, my face is met with the well-timed toss of a towel.

"We clean up our own messes in this kitchen. Mistress of the inn or not, I won't have you sulking about like a child. Get that water before you leave."

Slowly pulling the towel from my face, I lean down and wipe the water from the floor and from my shoes, looking over my shoulder as Vero takes a seat on the bench. "You walk a very thin line, Vero."

I finish wiping the floor and place the towel down on the side of the bucket, arching my eyebrow as Vero crosses her arms and fixes me with stare, her raspy voice taking on a tone I'd known for years. "I took you over my knee as a child, Santana, and I'll take you over it again if I have to. You and I both know that I'm not the reason you're upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Ah. So your shoes were dirty, then?" Vero's smirk is infuriating but it's the look in her eyes that finally slumps my shoulders as I go to leave the kitchen. I can feel Vero watching me as I approach the door and all hope of escaping the kitchen unscathed are lost when she calls out to me, "Claim her, Santana."

My hand pauses against the rough wood of the kitchen door, my hair shielding the side of my face as my gaze drops to the floor. Exhaling, I shut my eyes against the surge of emotion Vero's words inspire. "I can't.

"You already have, child. The minute you placed that pendant around her neck, whether you understood it at the time or not, you claimed her. This last little bit is just..."

Pushing away from the door, I glare back at Vero in disbelief, anger choking my voice. "The last little bit? You make it sound as if all that is needed is for her to sign her name on some document. This last little bit, as you so casually put it, takes her life, Vero. Her fucking life. Do you think I want that? That she wants that?"

"She does," Vero's quiet words stop my rant cold and all I can do is stare at her as she walks over and takes my hand. "Santana, you know deep down that I'm right."

Turning back to the door, I take one last look at Vero and let go of her hand, "Maybe. But I can't…I won't condemn her to this life. Brittany should have a full life, a happy life. A human life that can be spent in town, at the market, riding horses…hell, just walking outside on a sunny day. She should have that kind of life. Not this one, whatever it is that I have. Not one lived in darkness. She deserves so much more than that."

Pushing open the door, I hear Vero's voice call out into the silence of the kitchen. "What about what you deserve, Santana?"

I let the door close behind me as I walk through the quiet dining area and head up the stairs to my room. Lost in thought, I never see your outline as you stand in the shadows of the kitchen door.

* * *

Picking up my fourth…no, fifth glass of whiskey, I continue to pace in front of the fireplace in my room as I haphazardly unbutton my shirt with the other hand. Tossing back the alcohol in one gulp, I stalk over to my chair and drop down into the seat, my unbuttoned shirt fluttering open and exposing my stomach to the warmth of the fire. Leaning my head back against the cushion, I let Vero's words and your recent actions play over and over in my head as I think about the situation between us.

I've sensed that things have shifted a bit between you and me over these past few months. It's more than the looks and the subtle flirting though. If I felt that all you wanted from me was sex, I would have obliged you months ago, much to my own relief. But, there's more to it than that and as I recall Vero's words, I force myself to put my fear to the side and acknowledge that there might be truth to what she claimed. I know that you have been making subtle inquiries to Robert and Declan about how they came to be what they are. While I've never spoken directly to you about my own transformation, I know that between Robert and Declan you know the basics of how it works. I know also that Declan's wife has held your interest as of late. And while it was through sheer will alone that I beat back the jealousy that festered inside me every time I saw you two huddled together over an evening meal, I couldn't bring myself to simply ask either of you what it was you spoke about.

Sighing, I drum my fingers against the arm of the chair and finally admit that the possible truth of your discussions scared me. To think that you may want to turn, to become one of us, would give me pause anyway but to think that you would want to be turned by me…it petrifies me. Running my hand over my face, I scowl at the fire as I remember back to my early years when I'd turned people in anger and sometimes, even in loneliness. As time wore on and my control became more refined, I'd taken to only changing those who asked and even then, it was only in the binds of a trusted friendship. Sometimes, after battle, it was done out of necessity. But in all these years, it's never been because of love.

 _Love._ Pushing up abruptly from the chair, I walk over and drink straight from the whiskey bottle as I close my eyes against that word. Laughing, I run my hands over my face again and talk to myself in the room. "Well, tonight just seems to be _the_ night for revelations, doesn't it?" Reaching into my trouser pocket, I pull out a strip of thin leather and reach up to tie my hair back into a ponytail as I walk over to look out the window. Resting my forehead against the cool glass, I look out over the sleeping town and try to calm my racing mind.

These growing feelings I have for you are nothing new. A person can't be around you for more than a few moments before you've charmed them into friendship and the two of us have spent more than just a few moments together. Especially over these past few months as my circle of loyal and trusted friends has grown smaller in the face of the traitors who walk among us. It's been a comfort to me that you have remained a constant presence at my side.

I've come to rely on your counsel and insight and, on more than one occasion, your natural talent for diffusing a tense situation. But it's in the moments when it is just the two of us in my office that I've found myself considering you as something else. Having heightened senses can be both a blessing and a curse and there were days when just the smell of your hair, or the rustle of your dress against your skin, or the sound of you licking your lips almost drove me from my office. The need to take, to press my teeth against your neck and have you, is a constant temptation and at first it was easy enough to dismiss. As a human, I had a healthy libido and being a vampire had only expanded that threshold. To desire a beautiful woman was a pleasant way to pass the time. But with you, it felt different. It feels different.

Turning away from the window, I resume my fireplace vigil and slouch down into my chair. I know you want me; I can smell the desire on you sometimes. But it's never been simple with you and I'm reminded of that fact every time I see the necklace around your neck. If you ever noticed that I wear a matching one, you've never said anything to me. But you have to know. I've caught you more than once with your fingers trailing along your pendant while you glance at mine. The connection that exists between us was there from the moment we first met and it has evolved into something I am too much of a coward, at least on this night, to put into words.

It seems as if the fates are conspiring against me as I hear a tentative knock my door followed by your soft voice, "Santana? Are you still awake?"

Standing up, I look down at my state of half undress and quickly button a few buttons of my shirt as I call for you to enter. I hear the door open and then close behind you and I look up, my fingers fumbling and then freezing on whatever button I was trying to work on as I take in your appearance. Barefoot, you stand a few feet from me in your night dress, your blonde hair in loose curls around your shoulders. Dropping my hands uselessly to my sides, I watch as you walk over to place the lantern you were carrying on top of the fireplace mantel. With the fire behind you, your silhouette is barely concealed by the light fabric of your night dress and I swallow hard as I realize that the dress is all that you are wearing.

"What's wrong, Brittany?" Reaching up, I self-consciously remove the leather band from my hair and toss it onto the table behind me, acutely aware that you are following my every movement. Shaking my hair free, I curl my palms against the edge of the table and lean back, crossing my feet in front of me with a forced air of nonchalance.

You stay where you are by the fire and clasp your hands in front of you, your fingers playing with the frayed end of one of your sleeves. A small smile crosses your lips and I watch your hair move as your shrug your shoulders, "Nothing's wrong, Santana. I just wanted to speak with you."

Inclining my head towards the chair for you to sit, I'm again struck silent as you shake your head and instead take a step closer to me. Curling my fingers harder against the table, I breathe through the realization that your heartbeat is accelerated, pushing your blood through your veins in a distracting tempo. Deliberately keeping my voice even, I smile and address you, "Brittany, I can sense that you are nervous. Tell me what's the matter…did something happen?"

I watch your throat move against the high neck of your dress as you swallow, taking a deep breath before moving to stand at my feet, reaching your hands out towards mine. Instinct has me holding onto your hands, uncrossing my feet so that I'm braced more firmly against the table. Your eyes trace along my features before landing at the point on my chest where I know my necklace rests. Finally your eyes reach mine and I can feel your pulse jump where my thumbs rest against the inside of your wrists.

"Don't be upset. Okay?" At my nod, you continue, "I overheard you talking to Vero tonight after I left the kitchen."

Closing my eyes, my instinct is to pull my hands from yours but you anticipate me and your grip tightens, your feet moving until you are standing between my legs. The warmth of your body draws my attention back to your face and for the second time that night, I can't hide the ochre that is no doubt edging into the brown of my eyes. "Brittany, what I said…"

"Doesn't matter," Your voice is hushed and urgent as your eyes flicker between mine.

At that, I pull my hands from yours and rake them through my own hair. "Of course it matters! Whatever you think you know, whatever you think you understand…you just don't. You can't. We shouldn't even be talking about this right now with everything else that is going on."

Your voice takes a challenging tone as you step even closer to me, your thighs brushing against the inside of my legs, "Talk about what?"

"What?"

"Talk about what, Santana? What is it we shouldn't be talking about?" Your hands have risen to the top button of your night dress and I place my palms down on the table, my muscles bunching as I go to push away from you. "Don't".

I can feel the familiar ache in my teeth as you undo the first button and my eyes flash to yours, my voice pitched low in warning. "Brittany."

Your gaze is steady even as your fingers tremble along the next few buttons, the only sound in the room our breathing and the crack and pop of the fireplace. As you undo the last button, you keep the fabric gathered in one hand as you step back from me. Reaching into one of the pockets, your hand emerges in a fist, something clasped tight between your fingers.

Helpless, I can only watch as you release the fabric from your hand, rolling your shoulders back until the night dress falls at your feet. My eyes fall immediately to your neck, noting with alarm that your necklace is missing. Standing slowly, my voice dies in my throat as you reach forward and open your hand.

There dangling from your fingertips is your necklace.

Breathless, my gaze leaves the necklace and sweeps over your naked body, your fair skin made golden by the firelight. My teeth sharpen behind my parted mouth and it's your sharp breath that finally brings my eyes back to yours. Never looking away, you bring your other hand forward and turn my palm up, dropping your necklace into my hand and stepping closer to me.

"Santana, make me yours."


	5. Transformation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giving in to what they both want, Santana follows her heart and finally makes Brittany hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see Chapter 1 for author's notes

_"Santana, make me yours."_

My fingers curl around the necklace as I take a step away from you to stand in front of the fireplace, placing the temptation of your naked body at my back. "Brittany, you don't know what you're asking of me."

I can hear your rapid breathing behind me and, coupled with the fear I can feel coming off of you in waves, it's enough to push the scent of your arousal to the background. Bringing my hands to the top of the fireplace, I drop my head towards my chest and grit my teeth against my instincts which are telling me to turn around and bite through your skin. Inhaling deeply, I fight through the desire raging inside me and turn my head slightly to address you. "You're terrified right now. You can't possibly think you want this."

"Of course I'm scared, Santana. I'm not stupid." I listen as you pick up your night dress and my brief sense of hope that you are putting it back on is dashed as I hear you toss it onto the table and move to stand behind me. "I know what I'm asking of you."

"You don't."

My muscles jump under your fingertips as you bring your hand to brush along my back, the heat of your body as it presses against me making the fireplace in front of me feel like a winter's breeze. Placing your hands against my hips, you rest your cheek against my shoulder. "Don't you want me?"

"Too much."

Your hands dip under my shirt and slide around my stomach, holding me to you as you bring your mouth to my ear and whisper, "Then do it. I want you to do it."

Flinging the necklace to the ground, I turn around and break your hold on my waist as I reach down to grab your wrists. My eyes have completely turned and I can feel the sharp points of my teeth as I lick my lips. Backing you up towards the bed, I keep my grip rough and hope that my show of strength will scare you enough to abandon this foolish quest. "This? This is what you want? Take a good look at me, Brittany. This is what you're asking me to do to you. To make you like this."

"You're beautiful." Your voice is soft and it's the sincerity in your eyes that eases my hold on your wrists. Your knees bump the edge of my bed and you sit down, reversing my hold so that you can wrap your fingers around my forearms.

"Brittany, don't." The sight of you sitting on my bed, naked and offering yourself to me is too much and I close my eyes against the sight, my self-control fraying with each passing second.

"Santana, look at me. I want to be with you."

Pulling you to your feet, I open my eyes and bring my hands to cup your face. Retracting my teeth, I pull you forward and gently press my lips to yours, holding the pressure for a few seconds before pulling back. "You can be with me."

"Not just make love to you, Santana. Be with you. Forever."

"Brittany, you can't mean that."

Knocking my hands away, you push my chest and force me back a step. "Don't tell me what I mean. Or tell me what I don't want. You felt something for me from the first moment we met. I know you did. Why else would you have given me that?"

Looking to the floor where you are pointing, I can only shrug my shoulders as the false denial keeps my eyes averted from your face, "I don't know why I gave that to you."

"Liar."

"Brittany…"

"Santana…please, look at me." Meeting your gaze, I let you reach forward and hold my hands between us. "I know you're scared too. You're scared that if Lucas finds out about me, he'll come after me."

Squeezing your hands in reassurance, I feel my teeth shift as I growl out my next words, "I'd kill him before he even lifted a finger to touch you."

"I know. But I want to be able to protect myself. I want you not to have to worry about me and if I stay human, if I stay weak, he can use that against you. The people working for him can use that against you."

"Is that the only reason you want this?"

Your hands pull me closer and then slide up my arms, your fingers gripping the edges of my barely buttoned shirt. "No."

Searching your face, I whisper out my next words as my hands clench helplessly into fists at my sides, "What else? Why else would you want this?"

"Because I love you, Santana," Pressing your palms flat against my chest, your thumbs trace the exposed skin at either side of my pendant. "Because I want to be by your side, just as we are now, for as long as you'll have me."

Trapping your hands between us, you lean forward and slide your cheek along mine, your breath brushing past my ear as you whisper, "And because I want to know what it feels like to have your teeth inside me."

In that moment, with your words, I feel my restraint crumble to join your necklace on the floor. My hands reach up to press against your lower back, turning my head to capture your mouth in a rough kiss as we both moan into the contact. Opening my mouth, I grip your waist hard as your tongue brushes against my sharpened canines, a tremor running through your body even as you start to push between us to get at the buttons of my shirt.

Sucking your bottom lip into my mouth, I swipe my tongue across the trapped flesh before stepping back and batting your hands away, ripping my shirt open and flinging it to the side. Your hands are already low on my stomach, the backs of your fingers making the muscles twitch as you slide between the waistband and my skin to unbutton my trousers. I feel my eyes grow heavy as you crouch down and slide the fabric along my legs, my hands going to your shoulders for support. Your eyes travel up the length of my body as you coax my feet to step out of the pants before you toss them to the side to join my shirt.

I run my hands through your hair and tighten my fingers lightly and pull, bringing you to your feet. Your hands wrap around my biceps and as your thumbs dig into the muscles there, you turn your head to kiss the inside of my forearm. "Santana, I'm going to go crazy if you don't touch me."

Smiling, I relinquish my hold on your hair and slide my fingertips across your throat and down your chest to scratch lightly against the top of your breasts, "I don't know how I waited so long."

"Don't wait any longer."

There is a moment there, with the staccato beat of your heartbeat tapping against my fingers and your pulse pounding against the side of your neck like a beacon, when it truly hits me that I'm about to change your life forever. "Brittany, are you sure?"

Your smile is beautiful as you answer me and it's the sureness in your voice that banishes the last dregs of doubt. "Yes."

Without another thought, I wrap my arms around your waist and lift you up, holding you tight to my body as I step forward and deposit us both against my bed. All my fears and worries are forgotten at the first touch of your skin against mine. Your hands are at the side of my face pulling me forward into a deep kiss, the slow movement of your tongue pulling an answering response from my hips. Our legs tangle together on the blanket and I feel your legs part further under the pressure of my thigh against your damp curls. Reaching down, I curl my hand around the curve of your hip, my thumb stroking along the jut of your hipbone before turning my hand to press gently against the inside of your thigh, urging your leg to open further.

Pulling back from the kiss, I shift my weight to one side and arch into your touch as you run your hands along my back, your fingertips digging into my shoulders as I cover your wetness with my hand. Dropping my head, I give in to my earlier fantasy and brush my lips across your shoulder, opening my mouth to run my tongue along the skin of your chest. Burying your hands in my hair, you moan out my name as I retract my canines and pull your nipple into my mouth, my fingers sliding through your wetness to tease against your opening. Rolling my tongue around the hard bud, I keep my fingers in the same rhythm, groaning against your skin as you tip your hips up and drop one hand down to press my fingers inside you.

I keep my fingers still and lean up to press my lips against the base of your throat, breathing in the scent of your sweat and skin as I prepare myself to take your life. I can feel your heart beating furiously against my chest and your hands are trembling as they run along my body. Pushing up onto one hand, I lean over you and start to move my fingers inside you, ignoring my own arousal as your leg shifts against my own wetness. "Are you ready, Brittany?"

I feel your stomach clench against my own as I drop my palm down to press against you with every thrust of my fingers, intent on giving you as much pleasure as I can before the pain comes. As if sensing my thoughts, your hands wrap around the base of my neck and you swallow hard before nodding your head. "Will it hurt?"

"Yes. But only for a moment, I promise." Dropping a kiss to your lips, I keep my gaze steady on you even as I pick up the pace of my fingers, the whimpering sounds you are making wreaking havoc with my control. "Do you know what comes first?"

"Yes," Your voice is breathy as you answer, your hips rocking harder into me as your body works towards release.

"How do you want it?"

I smile as you bring one of your hands to cup my jaw and brush against my bottom lip, your thumb slipping inside my mouth to slide against the sharp point of my canine. Pursing my lips, I kiss your thumb before biting the inside of my lip, my own blood filling my mouth before I lean down and kiss you. Your mouth opens to accept my kiss and as you drink my blood, your body falters in its movements, the iron taste of that much blood unfamiliar to you. In a few seconds, my wound closes and I slow the kiss down, licking across your lips to remove any of the excess blood.

Your face is a grimace and I rock my body against you, curling my fingers as a rush of wetness greets my actions, your body responding once again to the pleasure of my touch. Pressing a kiss to your cheek, I whisper against your ear, "It will taste better soon, I promise."

Looking at your face once again, I watch as your body reacts to my blood in your system, your pupils dilating and your eyes half-lidded in pleasure. I feel you pulse against my fingertips and I know the moment is almost here. "I love you, Brittany."

"I love you too."

Picking up the pace of my fingers, I lock my eyes on your face and take a few seconds to remember this moment. The trickle of sweat down my back, the soft and warm press of your body, the sound of your arousal against my fingers, your breath ragged with moans that are drowning out the sound of the fireplace behind us, and the look on your face reflecting nothing but love and trust. Your panting breaths brush across my skin as I lean down and prepare to take this final step with you. "Brittany?"

"Yes?"

"Will you let me have you?" My own voice is strained as the urge to take you builds to a crescendo inside me, the ache in my teeth and my belly almost unbearable.

"Yes."

"Now?"

Leaning your head back, you keep your eyes open as you answer me, pushing the word out on a loud groan as my fingers coax your release from your body. "Always."

As your body trembles through your orgasm, I brace my hand against your jaw to keep your neck exposed, knowing that your natural instinct will be to fight the initial shock of pain. Pressing my open mouth to your throat, I bite into your skin and close my eyes against the warm rush of blood that pours into my mouth. I slide my fingers from your center and place my hand against your shoulder, your body struggling against me on instinct. I know that no matter how willing you might be to become what I am, your body is going to rebel against the danger it perceives as I drain the life from you.

Sucking gently, I can't help but shift my body anxiously against you, the arousal coming hand in hand with the satisfaction of drinking blood. I can feel your hands weakly clawing against my back and a brief moment of doubt creeps into my thoughts and I pull away from your neck, licking my lips as your head lolls slowly towards me so you can look at me. Your face is so pale and I can barely make out the pulse against your neck and I know that if I stopped now, you could probably survive. Thinking that you've changed your mind, I go to move off of you, shame starting to swipe its sneaky fingers across my thoughts. With your last bit of strength, you curl your hands against my shoulders, pulling me tighter to your body and gifting me with your weak smile. "No, don't stop, Santana. You're right…it doesn't hurt any more. Finish, please. Finish so we can be together."

Nodding my head, I accept your soft embrace and kiss the puncture marks on the side of your neck before pressing my teeth against you once more. I bring my hand from your shoulder to hold the other side of your neck, feeling as your pulse slows before stopping all together. Licking gently at the wound, I shudder out a breath as your hands slide from my body to land gently against the mattress. I can't bring myself to look at your face and instead rest my cheek against where your heart used to beat, a few tears leaking out from behind my closed eyelids. There are a couple of things that must be done but they can wait. Even though you are willingly taking this next journey with me, I allow myself a few moments to mourn the life I just took and hold your cooling body closer, whispering my love for you into the quiet room.

* * *

I'm sitting at my chair, scowling over the book I have propped open on my lap, when I hear you stir behind me. Dropping the book to the floor, I cross the room and climb onto the bed to straddle your waist, bracketing your forearms with my hands as I watch your face. A few seconds pass before your eyes open, your body immediately jerking against the restraints against your wrists and I silently congratulate myself on my forethought to add my own weight on top of yours. I can't deny the thrill I feel when the ochre seeps into the blue of your eyes but all selfish thoughts pass as you start to struggle in earnest beneath me.

"Easy, Brittany. Shhh…easy. Look at me. You're okay." I watch as your eyes search my face, frantically looking around the room as your body tries to adjust to its new form. I can feel your wild thoughts as they tumble around my own mind and your panic is starting to spike. Keeping my own mind calm, I lean down and kiss you gently on the lips, letting you feel our connection in the hopes that it will ease some of your anxiety.

It works and as I feel your muscles go lax beneath me, I gently break the kiss and lean up so I can look at you again. I watch as you blink your eyes slowly, no doubt getting used to the sharpness and clarity of vision this transformation has brought you. As you lick your lips, I allow myself a small smile as I watch your tongue trace over the fine points of your canines, wincing as they nick the top of your tongue.

Content that you won't rip through the restraints now, I sit back on your hips and smooth the fabric of your shirt against your skin. Taking in both of our appearances, now dressed, your voice is hoarse as you look back up at me, "Santana? Why…how are we both dressed? How long has it been?"

Before I can speak, I feel your first clear thought push into my thoughts. _Thirsty._ Smiling fully, I keep my hands soothing along your shoulders and down across your ribs as I answer you, "It's been two days. Every person is different in how long the transformation takes but believe me when I tell you, this has been the longest two days of my life."

_Thirsty._

_I know._

I watch your face as you realize I've answered your thoughts with one of my own and I feel my smile pull even wider as you grin at me. "How can you…did you…can I…"

Brushing my fingertips across your cheek, I nod my head at your questions. "Did Declan's wife not tell you about this part of it?" You shake your head in the negative and I lean down to press a kiss against your cheek as I move to stand next to the side of the bed. "When a bond is sired in love, that connection goes much deeper than just master to child. We'll have to learn to control it since it can be very distracting but we can talk about that later. First things first."

Making my way over to the side table, I grab a glass of blood and listen as you struggle for a few seconds against the wrist restraints, your voice curious and slightly petulant, "Santana? Why am I tied up?"

I watch your eyes track the glass in my hand as I come back to your side, sitting next to you on the bed. Placing the glass on the floor at my feet, I bring my hands to your left wrist and start to loosen the cloth binding.

"Every person reacts differently when they first wake up after the transformation. I've found over the years that it's easier to not take any chances so that person doesn't hurt themselves or anyone else." Releasing your one wrist, I lean over your body to undo the other, fumbling with the knot as you lean up and run your nose along my throat.

"You smell soooo good." Your lips press against the outside of my collar bone over my shirt, nuzzling against my shoulder before pressing your open mouth to the hollow of my throat. Giving up on the knot and just ripping it free, I sit up abruptly and keep my hands against your shoulders, smiling in apology.

"Brittany, you need to eat first."

"I want to," Your voice is rougher as you strain against my hold, your eyes fixed firmly on my throat. After a few seconds, you relent and relax against the bed, your pout out of place for the look of hunger on your face.

Keeping one hand against your shoulder, I reach down and pick up the glass of blood and clear my throat to get your attention which had gone immediately to the object in my hand. "I need you to drink this and then you need to listen to me, okay?" Handing you the glass, I keep my hand on your shoulder, my fingers tightening involuntarily as moans of appreciation fall from your lips.

You finish the glass and lean back on the bed with a smile, your eyes closed as you lick your lips, "You were right, Santana. It does taste better now." Brushing your thumb against the corner of your mouth, you hold your hand out to me, your eyes playful as you bring an errant drop of blood to my lips.

Licking the pad of your thumb, I press a quick kiss to your palm and then take the empty glass from you and place it back on the floor so I can give you my full attention. Clasping both of your hands in mine, I settle myself more comfortably against your side and begin what will no doubt be the start of many conversations.

Despite what you may have gleaned from your conversations with Robert, Declan and Declan's wife, there are still many things you need to know and many things I'll have to teach you. The prospect of taking this journey together no longer fills me with fear as your own excitement and curiosity seeps into my consciousness. These next few days will be spent teaching you how to feed without killing our familiars, how to control the hunger and the change, how to adjust to your body with its new strengths and weaknesses, and many other things. But now that you've gotten your first bit of blood in you, there is one more thing that needs to be done.

Reaching into my pocket, I pull out your necklace, releasing your hands so you can push up and sit before me. Opening the clasp, I lean forward and place the necklace around your neck, gently pulling your hair through the cord and letting it settle back against your shoulders. Your head is tucked down towards your chest as you grasp the pendant in your hand, your other hand reaching up to cup my face. Your eyes are stunning blue as you look up at me, the sheen of tears drawing my thumb to brush at the errant tear running down your cheek. Pulling you forward into a hard kiss, I press my palm against the hand holding your pendant, love gentling my mouth as I kiss your bottom lip before leaning back.

_Mine._

Smiling, you drop your hand from my cheek to press against my own pendant, sealing the connection. "Yes, I am yours. As you are mine."

_Always._


	6. Unforseen Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brittany's training continues even as new dangers lurk on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

Intrigued by the sound of your laughter, I walk to my office window unlocking the latch and pushing the side open so I can lean on the sill and watch you. You'd been turned a little over a month ago and have already mastered many of the things that normally take new vampires months to learn. I like to think I can attribute it to my excellent guidance but I know it has more to do with you than me. There is a brightness and eagerness in you that I was scared would be diminished when you turned but much to my relief, you've only seemed to be enhanced by your change. I feel a sense of pride as you stand perfectly still and watch as Declan closes the fence, leaving you both enclosed with one of our biggest stallions, Asim. His black tail twitches as he chuffs and paces near you, your gaze steady as Declan speaks at your side.

"I see you've been busy," Cian's voice reaches my ears a moment before I sense his presence next to me at the window, both of us watching as Declan reaches down to hold your hand, lifting it palm up towards Asim.

Choosing to ignore his statement for now, I find myself leaning forward and pressing my hands harder against the window sill, anxiety twisting in my belly as Asim prances nervously, shaking his head and snorting. I reflexively hold my breath as Declan releases your hand, a few more words spoken before he slowly steps away to go lean against the fence behind you. I watch as you step forward, your face soft and wondrous as your fingertips reach out and brush lightly against Asim's neck, your other hand running against his flank as he turns his head and bumps you with his nose. Your laugh rings out across the courtyard and I catch Declan's thumbs up at me before he makes his way over to you once more.

"She's a natural, Santana."

"Declan is the best hostler I've ever known. If there was anyone who could get the horses used to Brittany as she is now and also get Brittany to be comfortable around them, it is him."

Smiling, I watch as you feed Asim an apple from the pouch on your side, your eyes bright with amusement as they look up to find me watching you, only looking away when he nudges at your side for another treat. With one last indulgent look, I turn away from the window and leave you to your lesson with Declan, accepting the tumbler of whiskey that Cian hands me as we both make our way to the chairs in front of my desk.

Taking a small sip of the whiskey, I watch Cian over the rim of the glass, rolling my eyes as his grin grows wider at my silence. "You know, Santana, if you had waited one more month, I would have won my bet against Vero. Your eye for the pretty ladies has cost me a pretty wager once again."

Slowly placing the glass against my thigh, I sit forward and scowl at Cian, "You and Vero were taking bets as to when I would claim Brittany? Have you no other matters to entertain your foolish brains?"

"None as entertaining as you, my darling," Cian's dimples make an appearance seconds before he leans forward to press a quick kiss against the back of my hand, holding it between him and I as he watches me for a moment. "Silly bet or not, it warms my heart to know that she is finally yours, as you are hers. You've been alone for too long, Santana."

Squeezing his hand once with affection, I return his smile as I lean back in my chair once more, "Brittany has definitely been a revelation. And a blessing."

"She makes you happy."

"Yes, more than anything else in this world."

Curious, I watch as Cian's smile eventually fades, the whiskey disappearing from his glass before he stands up to face the window again. The position of the moon outside casts his face in shadows and I find myself reluctant to join him at the window as the tension in the room seems to grow. "Cian, what is it?"

Taking a deep breath, Cian turns to face me and the look on his face has me placing my whiskey glass on my desk, all but forgotten, "Santana, I wish I was only here to see how things were going with Brittany but I'm afraid my time here is for another matter."

I'm halfway out of my chair in concern before his next words knock me back, my hand reaching out and swiping the whiskey glass to the floor.

"He's taken a Queen."

_What's wrong, Santana?_

Your panicked voice washes through me and I close my eyes and make a concerted effort to calm myself, standing and moving towards the broom in the corner so I can clean the broken glass.

_Nothing, it's okay. Finish your lesson, sweetheart._

Dumping the contents of the broken glass into the wastebin, I keep my back to Cian and stare into my fireplace. "A Queen. Who is it?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes," Biting out the word, I place my hands into the pockets of my pants as I move to stand before Cian. "Tell me."

"It's Kaitlin," Cian's mouth turns in disgust as he speaks her name and I understand now his reluctance to tell me.

"Are you sure?" I hear how quiet my voice sounds and feel my hands curl into fists inside my pockets at Cian's affirmative nod.

"I'm getting another drink. Do you want one?" Without waiting for an answer, I walk over and pour myself a full glass of whiskey, downing it in two gulps before pouring another full glass. Pacing the room, I'm brought up short by Cian's tentative voice.

"I think we need to speak with the Royal Family, Santana."

"Fuck them."

"Santana…"

I cut off Cian's warning by slamming the glass onto the desk. "They sit back and watch the violence as it suits them while innocents get slaughtered. Until it knocks on their door, they'll do nothing."

Cian absorbs my outburst with a calmness I normally find comforting but I realize as he stands there and watches me, his demeanor serves more to annoy me. "What about your father, Santana?

"My father?" Shaking my head, I resume my seat by my desk, leaning back as I address Cian again. "He's bound by their laws and can't help, you know that."

Sighing, Cian pushes away from the window and seats himself across from me once more, "He'd break them for you."

"I can't ask him to do that. I won't."

Exasperation colors Cian's voice as he slams his hands down onto the arm rests, "So he just sits by as you risk your life to bring Lucas down. How is that right, Santana?"

"It's of no concern to you, Cian."

"The hell it's not, Santana."

"I said leave it."

"No."

Growling, we both stand as dual clicks sound out in the room as I step closer to him, "Cian…"

"Santana? Is everything okay?" Your soft voice cuts into the room and I keep my eyes on Cian as you come to stand next to me, the subtle sound of two sets of teeth retracting barely making a noise in the room.

"Everything is fine, Brittany. Right, Cian?"

With one final look at me, Cian turns to Brittany, gracing her with a smile. "Everything _is_ fine, my dear. Santana and I were just having a…slight difference of opinion. She's being stubborn."

"And you're being difficult."

"Me? Perish the thought," Winking at you, Cian reaches out to grab my hands, his eyes serious even as he maintains a smile. "Santana, I worry for you because I love you."

"I know, Cian. I love you too but…"

"And," Cutting me off smoothly, his fingers tighten their grasp, his face growing serious once more. "I worry for myself and for others as we continue on this path. Kaitlin is a complication we can't afford to take for granted. We _will_ need to discuss where to go from here."

I feel you shift closer to my side, your hand coming to rest against my lower back and I take comfort in the protective gesture. "I agree. It can wait until tomorrow, however. I just need some time to think. And, if I'm not mistaken, Vero has a wager to collect from you, you bastard."

Cian's laugh dispels the final bit of tension hanging in the room and I pull him into a quick embrace before he bows and takes his leave, shutting the door behind him.

"How was your training with Declan, love?" Reaching out, I tug you into my arms, grinning as you use the momentum to press me against the edge of my desk. Resting my hands on your hips, I turn my head to kiss your palm as you bring your hands up to massage at the tension in my shoulders. "Asim seemed to like you."

"I had apples. Of course he liked me."

"Well, I like you even without any apples."

That earns me a kiss and as you lightly play your tongue against my bottom lip, I let my hands wander lower to brush against the rough fabric of your pants. Draping your arms around my shoulders, you lean back in my embrace and I grin at the look of happiness on your face. "Santana, it was incredible. He's such a sweet boy. Declan said he'd never seen Asim react positively that quickly to someone new."

"He's thrown three riders in as many weeks. Declan swore on his life that you would be fine with Asim and I have to say, until I saw you for myself, Declan's time here was on shaky ground."

"Santana! You didn't mean that," Your brow crinkles as I keep a straight face and I have to fight not to kiss you as you bite our lip uncertainly. "Did you?"

Giving in, I laugh and kiss you, shaking my head. "Of course not, Brittany. But Asim wasn't taking to any of the riders we tried to pair him with. I was just worried about you. And Asim. You don't know your own strength yet and I didn't want either of you getting hurt. My worry seems to have been for naught as it appears Asim is as smitten with you as I am."

"He just likes the pretty ladies, that's all," Your smile is wide and happy and I reach a hand up to trace the curve of your cheek as you continue speaking. "Declan said I can train with him every night if I wanted. Would that be okay?"

"Of course," Cocking my head to the side, I run my fingers from your cheek down across your throat to brush against the pendant under your shirt. "You don't need my permission to do things you want to do, Brittany. The only thing I ask is that you let me know before you leave the inn and its grounds. There are still dangers out there and many things you need to learn before you can be comfortable being among the humans again."

Kissing me, you press yourself against me in an embrace, turning your head and resting your cheek against my shoulder as you run your hands up and down my back. A few minutes pass before you speak again, "Santana, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, sweetheart. What is it?"

"Who is Kaitlin?"

At your question, I stiffen in your arms and force myself to keep my hands on your waist as you lean back to look at me, your hands running slowly up and down my arms. "She's nobody of concern, Brittany."

My answer sounds weak even to my own ears and I accept the reproach in your eyes with small shrug from my shoulders, my thumbs brushing against your hips in apology as I watch them with the utmost concentration.

"Santana, you can talk to me. Whoever she is, she's definitely somebody," You reach up and cup my face, forcing my averted gaze to your calm blue eyes. "You know you can trust me."

At that, I pull you closer and push off the desk so that we're standing together, "I know, Brittany. And I do trust you, completely. Just…can we not talk about her at least not right now? I promise I'll tell you everything later, okay?"

Searching my eyes, you must see something you like because you nod your head once and smile, "Okay, San. We can talk about it later."

I feel a little rush at the use of your recent nickname for me and I cover the blush it causes by pressing a kiss to your cheek as I take your hand and step around you, opening the door and heading down the hall to our room. "Good. Because you smell like horses and I think it's time for a bath."

Yanking playfully on my hand, you pull me up short before I can cross the threshold to the room and cross your arms over your chest, "Yeah, well, you taste like whiskey."

Smirking at you, I grab the waistband of your pants and tug you into room, turning and pinning you against the wall by the door, "You like the taste of whiskey."

"And you like the smell of horses."

"I do. Just not on you, at least not right at this moment."

Pouting, you test your new strength and try to pull your arms from my grasp, bucking your hips against me, huffing out in frustration when the only thing you succeed in doing is making me smile. "That's not very nice, Santana."

Easing my grip, I drop a kiss to the side of your neck, nuzzling against the soft skin there, "Trust me, you'll like the bath I have planned for you. Give me a few minutes to bring the hot water up and then I'll show exactly how much you'll like it."

* * *

Leaning my head back against the high side of the bathtub, I let out a little groan as your fingers dig lightly into the arch of my foot, my hands dropping into the warm water to caress the top of your shins. With you stretched out in front of me, the combination of the view, the hot water, and the foot massage are all serving to push my encounter with Cian far from my mind.

"See? Isn't this a nice way to pass the time?"

"I don't know, San. You're the one getting a foot massage while I was out there on my feet battling a fierce beast of a horse all night."

Laughing as I sit forward, I pull my foot from your hands and shift my legs until they are wrapped around your hips, reaching forward to slide you closer to me. Brushing your wet hair back from your face, I lightly massage your neck as I purse my lips in fake sympathy, "Yes, Asim has thwarted many a brave warrior. How did you manage to survive?"

Grinning at me, you run your hands along my thighs under the water, and sigh heavily, "It was hard but he eventually succumbed to my charms and let me tame him."

"And apples."

"What?"

"He succumbed to your apples."

"Yes but that's our little secret. He can't let the other horses know he can be so easily swayed."

I slide my hands from behind your neck to press against your jaw, pulling you closer to my mouth for a soft kiss. "Come here, my brave and considerate warrior."

Smiling into the kiss, I moan as your hands catch me by surprise, sliding from my legs to cup my breasts, your thumbs sliding easily against my wet nipples. Pulling back, you lick your lips and lean forward to lick slowly against the shell of my ear, the click of my teeth causing your hands to tighten against my flesh.

Whispering, you kiss the skin behind my ear, "You still taste like whiskey."

Before I can reply to you, your hands have slid from my breasts to the side of the bathtub. Helpless, I feel my eyes turn and my teethe ache as you slide your body from under my legs and push off the sides to stand before me, the water running in smooth paths along your fair skin. Reaching down, you place your hands gently behind my head, the ochre of your eyes flashing a second before your sharpened teeth appear behind your lips, "I'd rather you tasted like me."

Groaning out a breath, I rise to my knees and wrap my arms around your thighs, using my strength to twist my body around and press you back against the high edge of the bathtub, trusting that your own strength will keep you from pitching over the side. My trust is rewarded as your hands go to the sides and hold on, your legs parting to make room as I slide forward and hold your waist, dragging my teeth against the flexing muscles of your stomach. Sucking against the skin of your hipbone, I'm overwhelmed by the smell of you, the lavender from the bath water no match for the scent of your arousal.

Closing my eyes, I drop my hands to press against the bottom of the tub, bracing my weight as I lean forward and bite lightly against your inner thigh, teasing you with a hint of my teeth. Your left hand jumps to my shoulder, your fingers digging in with bruising strength and as I grunt a bit at the pressure, your legs spread wider and the pain is quickly forgotten. I look up quickly to find you watching me, your chin heavy against your chest as your hair splays in wet strands across your breasts, "Santana, please…I need you."

Retracting my fangs, I open my mouth wide and lean forward, my tongue sweeping through your wetness in quick little strokes. Pushing my hips back, I bring my hands from the water to hold your waist as my thumbs spread you open a little wider. I can hear you panting harshly above me, whining low in your throat as I hold you tighter, preventing your hips from moving the way you want to move against my mouth. I feel your hand leave my shoulder to grab the edge of the tub again and I lick my lips as I pull back slightly so I can look up at you, the feeling of your muscles trembling against my hands causing my own insides to clench in pleasure. "Brittany, you can't move otherwise you'll fall out of the bathtub."

"Then take me to bed. It's driving me crazy not being able to move."

"Good."

Leaning forward once more, I use my hands to tilt your hips up, thrusting my tongue slowly inside you as your wetness slicks across my chin. I can feel your legs trembling against my arms as I hold you up, your vampire strength all but gone as you move closer and closer to orgasm. Swirling my tongue against you once more, I press up higher and slide my tongue against your clit, sucking it into my mouth. Your thoughts are running together in my mind as your body prepares to succumb to your pleasure but it's the one you verbalize that causes me to groan deeply, the vibration your undoing as you buck your hips against my hands, coming against my mouth in a rush of heat and wetness.

"Bite me, please. Bite me…"

Your voice is rough as you plead with me and before your orgasm starts to wind down, I turn my head, my fangs clicking into place just as I open my mouth and bite into the soft flesh of your inner thigh, the taste of your blood mixing with the taste of your wetness in my mouth. Sucking gently, I ease my grip against your waist and caress your skin as I taste the pleasure in your blood. I feel your fingertips brush against my cheek after a moment and I pull back and lick at the wounds, kissing the skin once the puncture marks fade away. Rising up to my knees, I wrap my arms around your back and let you pull me into a sloppy kiss, your tongue greedy as it moves against mine before you pull away to look at me, "Mmmm…you taste so good."

" _You_ taste so good."

Smiling, you push lightly on my shoulders and move down from the edge of the tub, easing us both back into the still warm water. As soon as my back presses back against the other side, you are kneeling between my legs, one hand braced behind my shoulder as you lean down and kiss me, goosebumps breaking out along my skin as the cold ends of your wet hair brush against my nipples. I barely have time to return the kiss before your other hand is moving through the water, two fingers sliding inside me without warning. I feel your moan as my wetness greets your fingertips and you lean back to watch me as you work your fingers inside me under the water, "You're so warm and wet, Santana. So much warmer than the water."

Dropping my head back against the edge of the tub, I brace my feet against the bottom and move into your thrusts, my eyes half closed as you watch me with lightened eyes. My arms are stretched out over the side of the tub and I want to bring them to your body, to brush against your wet skin or cup your breasts that are moving with each jut of your fingers. But the combination of your blood in my system and my own arousal is weighing down my limbs and all I can do is move with you, taking your efforts as your fingers continue to press deep and slow inside of me. Moaning, I tilt my head back further as you lean down and run your lips across my throat, sucking hard at the same time your thumb brushes teasingly against my clit. My hips jolt at the touch and I close my eyes as I hear the water splash over the edge of the tub. Your reserve seems to break at the sound as you start to thrust faster and faster against me, sending more waves of water to join the growing puddle on the floor.

Your own breaths are harsh from the exertion and I feel my stomach clenching with each press of your fingers, my impending orgasm propelling my arms to action as I reach up to wrap your hair around my fist, bringing your mouth to the side of my throat. Your teeth click into place but you wait, my body dictating when you will bite me, enhancing my orgasm to the point of almost pain. My moaning is constant and it only takes a few coordinated passes of your thumb against my clit before my insides tremble as I come, clenching hard as you sink your teeth into the side of my neck. You press your hand tight against me, cupping me as your fingers continue to flutter inside me, your mouth sucking in time with each pulse against you. Finally loosening my grip against your hair, I caress the back of your neck, my thigh muscles twitching as you pull your fingers from me, your tongue soft against my neck as you lick my skin clean before indulging me in a few soft kisses.

Sitting back on your heels, you lean over the side of the tub and cover your mouth with your hand, the blue of your eyes returning as you look back at me, "Vero is going to be so mad, San. The floor is soaked."

Forcing my tired body to sit up, I look over the edge of the tub with you and start laughing at the look of fear on your face, "It's okay, sweetheart. We'll clean it up before she wakes up tomorrow. She'll never notice."

At that, you drop your hand from your mouth and arch your eyebrow at me, returning my smile as I stand and pull you to your feet, "Okay, you're right. We should clean it up now. She's probably already dreaming about it and thinking of ways to give me a hard time about it tomorrow."

Stepping from the tub, I help you out and reach over to grab two towels, handing you one as I wrap the other around my body. Walking towards the door, I'm stopped by your hand on my arm, "Santana, where are you going?"

"To get more towels from downstairs."

"You're naked."

"I'm in a towel."

"You're naked under the towel."

"And?"

Blinking slowly at me, you speak slowly and move to stand in front of the door, "There are still people down there and…and I don't want them to see you in a towel and, you know, know that you're naked under there."

Reaching forward, I grab the towel from around your body and tug the one from my body and toss them behind me to land in the pile of water near the tub, "Better?"

Grinning, you reach down and wrap your arms under my thighs, lifting me up and tossing us both onto the bed, my squeal covered by your kiss. "Yes, it's so much better when you listen to me."

I laugh at that and pull you down to rest against me, running my thumb affectionately against your cheek, "Seems as if Asim isn't the only one infatuated with you, I guess."

"And I didn't even have to use apples for you."

"Maybe next time."

Curious, you prop your head on your hand and look down at me, curling your arm against my ribs as you settle against my side, "Next time what?"

Running my hand gently against your forearm, I let my head rest against the pillow and close my eyes, smiling around my words, "Well, I've always had this fantasy about your body and an apple pie…"

Trailing off, I crack open one eye to find you watching me with an open mouth before you swallow hard and nod, dropping your head to rest against my shoulder, "I'll speak to Vero tomorrow."

Kissing your forehead, I run my fingertips along your back as you slowly fall asleep, your body going lax against me. Looking over your shoulder, I look at the dark curtains covering the window and pull you closer to me. I'll have to speak to both you and Cian tomorrow about this newest development with Lucas taking Kaitlin as his Queen. Closing my eyes, I try to will myself to sleep at your side knowing that there is a good chance that these moments of peace will be few and far between for the foreseeable future.


	7. History Repeats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the threat of Lucas' union with Kaitlin continues to grow, Santana opens up to Brittany about her and Cian's history with Kaitlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

* * *

Shifting against the bed sheets, I reach my hand out with the intention of pulling you closer only to be brought up short by your laugh appearing next to the bed.  Opening my eyes, I roll over onto my back and look up to find you watching me, two cups of blood held in your hands.

“Good evening, Santana,” Your voice is amused as I let my fingers tug against your shirt, silently protesting your dressed state.  Holding one of the cups out for me to take, you sit on the bed, your thigh pressing against my hip as you take a sip from your own cup.  Brushing my hair back from my forehead, you lean down and place a kiss there, dropping your hand to rub against my shoulder as we continue to drink in silence.

Swallowing the last sip, I put the cup on the table next to the bed and take your free hand in both of mine, keeping them resting against my stomach as I run my thumbs along the back of your hand, “Why are you dressed?”

“I thought you liked this shirt on me?”

“I love that shirt on you, Brittany.  I just don’t understand why it has to be on you right now.”

Before I can reach for you, you stand and smoothly grab the empty cup on the table before moving to place them on the tray by the door.  Coming to stand at the foot of the bed, you smirk as you grab the bed sheet and slowly tug it along my naked body, your hands falling to my feet once I’m completely uncovered.  Sitting up, I playfully move my feet in your hands, laughing as you give up holding onto them and instead grab the tops of my ankles, “Santana, you need to get dressed.”

“No, you need to get undressed.”

“I _was_ just undressed,” With one last squeeze to my ankles, you turn away from me and go to pick up my folded clothes from the chair by the window.  “You were sleeping and sadly, you missed it.”

Before you can turn back around, I jump off the bed and pull you back into an embrace, kissing your cheek as I try to tug the clothes from your hands, “Come on, love.  You don’t really want me to get dressed, do you?”

Letting my teeth click into place, I drag them along your neck, smiling as I feel your grip weakening on the clothes.  As I pull with a final tug to take them from your grasp, I’m instead left grabbing air as you’ve managed to duck and spin away from me, stopping three feet behind me before I have a chance to blink.  Turning around slowly, I’m met by your wide smile and I can’t help by laugh as you take a bow before putting the clothes down at the foot of the bed, “Brittany, what was that?”

Picking the tray up from the floor, you make your way to the door, grinning at my expression of surprise, “Robert’s been teaching me a few things.”

“Has he now?”

At my tone, you put the tray down on the table and make your way back to me, holding my hands in yours as you wrap them around your waist.  Kissing the scowl from my forehead, you reach up and run your fingers through my hair as you continue speaking, “Santana, don’t be like that.  He just thinks it will be good for me to learn some things so I can better protect myself.  With everything going on, he thought you would feel better if I wasn’t so helpless, that’s all.”

With a resigned sigh, I press harder against your back and pull you in for a kiss, keeping it soft and gentle even as my body reacts to the taste of your mouth.  Pulling away, I smile to alleviate the concern I can feel coming off of you, “He’s right.  I just don’t know that I like the thought of his hands on you during these training sessions.”

You roll your eyes and pull me in to a hard kiss, kissing each cheek before you step back and make your way over to the tray once more, “Santana, he’s like a brother to me now.  To both of us.  You know that.  Now, can you get dressed and come downstairs?  Cian is downstairs waiting to speak with you, okay?”

Walking slowly over to my clothes, I pick them up with a small nod and start getting dressed, looking up as you open the door and address me once more, “Santana?”

“Yes?” Pulling my arms through the sleeves of my shirt, I reach down and pull my pants on, buttoning them as you grin at me in the doorway.

“Maybe if you’re up for it later I can show you some of the grappling techniques that Robert has been telling me about,” With a wink, you reach back and shut the door, your laughter filling the hallway at the direction my thoughts take.  Shaking my head, I continue to get dressed, suddenly eager to get this meeting over with and get you back into our room.

 

* * *

 

Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, I look over the crowded dining room, quickly determining the regulars from the travelers passing through for the night.  Noticing the relaxed stances of my people throughout the room, I let the tension ease from my shoulders and make my way over to the corner table where you are already seated across from Cian. Waving to Vero by the bar, my gaze stops on Robert as he chats with her, my eyes narrowing even as your voice slides into my thoughts.  
  
 _Santana, be nice._

Looking over to you, I smile for your benefit, making a note to speak with Robert in the near future.  Cian rises as I approach and I accept his kiss of greeting with another smile, rounding the table to take a seat at your side, my hand automatically finding yours on top of the table.  Vero appears a few moments later, two whiskeys placed on the table for Cian and myself and a mug of honey wine for you.

Waiting until Vero was out of earshot, Cian clinks his glass against both of ours and gestures to the map he has spread out on the table, laughing and shrugging as I point to the carved devil sitting on Lucas’ presumed position, “It seemed appropriate.”

Glancing around the map, I notice with concern that the coins bearing my crest used to mark the position of our people have grown smaller and appear farther than where they were just a week ago.  Calculating the terrain between our closest position and Lucas’, I tap my finger against the map and meet Cian’s now serious gaze, “This can’t be right.”

“It is.”

“It _can’t_ be,” Letting go of your hand, I shift over in my seat to allow you to lean forward and look at the map yourself, turning my attention back to Cian as he looks over his shoulder to wave someone forward.  “There is no way he covered this much ground in that amount of time.  Has he grown fucking wings since we last fought him?”

Pulling a leather strip from my pocket, I pull my hair back into a ponytail as Cian’s man stands next to the table, awaiting Cian’s word of encouragement before speaking, “Mistress, I can attest to the truth of his location.”

“And how is this…what’s your name?”

“Victor, Mistress.”

“Victor, how did you come by this information?”

Pointing to the coin at our closest position, Victor meets my gaze as Cian watches me, “We were less than a day from his position.  The familiars we’d been using as our scouts could see the smoke from his fires and, as night began to fall, we prepared to advance.   I sent word to Marcus to move to a flanking position and we pushed forward to the town Lucas had claimed.”

“What happened?”

“We were within range of the town limits when we were all knocked to the ground by something, some kind of explosion.  When we got to our feet and looked towards the town, half of it was gone.  Destroyed by whatever that explosion had been.”

Indicating the map at the town’s location, I look first to Cian before addressing Victor again, “How can you be sure that the bastard didn’t just blow himself up?”

I can feel my anxiety creep in as Victor and Cian make eye contact, your hand that settles on my leg doing little to ease my sense of foreboding as Victor looks back to me, “A few moments later there was a flash of blue light, like lightning, west of our position.  In the Kersk Mountains.”

“Cian…”

“Victor, excuse us for a moment,” Cian’s voice sounds far away as he speaks over my weak exclamation of his name, thanking Victor and instructing him to seek out Vero for room and board for the night.

I can feel your concern pushing at my consciousness and all I can do is drop my hand to yours and hold on as Cian turns back to us and continues speaking, “You understand what this means.”

“She’s gotten stronger.”

At that, you finally speak up, your voice addressing Cian though the question is for me, “Kaitlin?  Is that who you’re talking about?”

Cian nods his head though by his silence I know that he is deferring the answer to me.  Shifting in my seat to face you, I let the love you feel for me chase the darker shadows that telling this story always brings.  “Kaitlin is a powerful sorceress, Brittany.  A witch from the Old World and one that I had hoped to never see again.”

Holding tighter to your hand, I drop my gaze to your thumb as it brushes across my skin, my voice softer as I speak again, “I haven’t told you yet the story of my rebirth, have I?  How I came to be a vampire?”

“Not yet.”

I bring your hand up and press a kiss to your palm, closing my eyes briefly as your thumb caresses my cheek before I speak again, “I’ll have to tell you about it but for right now, in regards to Kaitlin?  She killed our sire.”

I keep my eyes on your face as you look over at Cian, looking between us for a few moments before clearing your throat to ask, “Why?”

“Because she could,” Turning back, I meet Cian’s eyes and see the shared sorrow reflected in his gaze, the despair of that night barely dulled with the passing of time.  “She did it for no reason other than as a childish display of her power in defiance of the Royal Family.  They had banned her from their land for disobeying their rules about when and where to use her powers.  So, she left.  As expected, she threatened retribution but they dismissed her without so much as a second thought because they knew she couldn’t touch them.”

“Are they that powerful?”

“Yes,” Cian’s voice is quiet as he answers you.  “They are powerful.  And lazy.  And capricious.  And entitled.  And I wish the lot of them would be tied in one big bundle and left out in the midday Sun.”

“Cian,” My admonishment is sharp and he holds my gaze for a few seconds before grabbing my glass along with his own and excusing himself from the table, murmuring about getting us more to drink.  Watching him work his way through the dining area, my thoughts are interrupted by your hand coming to rest against my thigh.  Looking over at your concerned face, I hold your hand and stand, pulling you to your feet, “Come.  Take a walk with me and I’ll tell you the rest of the story.”

 

* * *

 

Predictably, you lead us towards the stables, abandoning my hand in favor of presenting Asim with an apple stolen from Vero’s kitchen.  Indulging you for the time being, I watch as you run your hands along Asim’s side, reaching my own hand out to brush against his muzzle as he bumps his head into my shoulder, “I have no apples for you, Sir.  You best check with your blonde mistress over there.”

Meeting your smile, I accept your hand as you tell Asim goodnight and walk us around to the back of the stable, climbing to sit on the top of the low fence and pulling me to stand between your legs.  Tugging me closer, you pull my arms around your waist and settle your hands on top of my shoulders, leaning down to kiss me softly before settling back on the fence, ”So…”

Taking a deep breath, I answer your prompt, “So, yes the Royal Family is powerful and yes, Cian hates them.  Well, I shouldn’t say hate.  He’s disgusted with them.”

“Because of what happened to your sire?”

“Yes, because of that.  And because of their lack of involvement in what’s been going on with Lucas.  Though having Kaitlin suddenly return will no doubt garner some interest.  Not enough for them to actually _do_ anything, of course.  In that, I can agree with Cian’s disgust.”

Your voice is tentative as one hand trails down across my shoulder to pull out the pendant that sits against my chest, my eyes drawn to the spot where I know yours sits before looking back up at you at your question, “What happened to your sire?”

Drawing comfort from your proximity, I will away the ache that remembering always brings and answer you, “He was traveling to meet up with Cian and Cian’s brother.”

“Cian has a brother?”

“Had.  Cian’s brother died many years ago,” Kissing your pout, I soothe my hands along your hips.  “It’s okay.  He died a happy old man, surrounded by his wife and children.  And more grandchildren than I think he ever thought he would have.”

“Did he know about Cian?”

“Yes.  It became hard to explain away Caleb continuing to grow older as Cian remained the same so Cian finally told him.  He was terrified to admit it, afraid that Caleb would be scared of him.  Or worse, try to kill him thinking Cian a threat to his family.”

“What happened?”

“Cian told me that Caleb looked at him for a few minutes and then calmly asked if it was true about what he had heard about, that vampires could turn into bats at night.  Because if it was true, he wanted Cian to fly to his neighbor’s house and shit all over their eyesore of a shed.”

Your laughter almost dislodges you from the fence and I tighten my grip on your waist, smiling as you shake your head, “He didn’t?  Did he?”

“Did he do what?”

“Did Cian shit all over the neighbor’s shed?”

“Brittany, we can’t really turn into bats.”

“Oh.”

“Are you disappointed?”  Shifting my stance, I lean my hip against the inside of your leg and brush my fingers lightly across your collarbone as you nod your head.  “Well, there are few things I haven’t told you about that you might find really interesting.”

At that, you perk up and squeeze my shoulders, your smile stretching across your face, “Really?”

“Yes, really.  I promise I’ll tell you about them soon, okay?”

“Okay,” Playing with the ends of my ponytail, your face settles into a more serious look as you continue speaking, “Caleb was okay with Cian, just like that?”

“There was a little more to it but yes, when it was all said and done, Cian was Caleb’s brother.  He loved him, human or vampire.  Caleb even came to travel with Cian, when it was safe.  Caleb was well-versed in herbs and treating injuries and there would be times when familiars were hurt and Caleb would tend to their wounds.  The night that Duncan was killed he was on his way to see Cian and Caleb.  A raiding party had attacked one of the villages where many of Cian’s familiars lived.”

“Duncan was your sire?”

“Yes,” Hearing you speak his name forces me to clear my throat, a pang rushing through my chest as I finish the story.  “We had heard that Kaitlin had been exiled but nobody had seen or heard from her in weeks and we just assumed she had taken off, her threat of retribution fading the longer she was quiet.  The village Duncan was traveling to sat a few miles from the edge of the land the Royal Family claims and so there was no thought to any danger, at least not from her.  But she was there just outside the town.  She was the one that had organized the raiding party in hopes of drawing Duncan there.”

“Why your sire?”

“Duncan served as foreign counsel to the Royal Family and was valuable to them.  And so he was valuable to her.  She waited for him, letting him get within viewing distance of the village before casting a spell, spooking the horse he was riding and throwing him to the ground.  The watchmen at the village gate heard the commotion and saw the flash of light as the spell was cast and organized some men to investigate.  But it was too late.”

Pausing here, I let my forehead rest against your shoulder, closing my eyes at the feel of your lips against my temple, “Santana, you don’t have to finish.”

Leaning up, I meet your concerned look and shake my head, speaking softly as I force myself to finish the story, “She didn’t kill him right away.  Fire or a stake through the heart would have been quick and merciful and she is anything but.  She had enchanted a stake and had driven it right next to his heart, the spell ensuring that the wood would expand slowly, the slivers inching into his heart before finally piercing it and ending his life.  As soon as they saw it was Duncan, one of the men rushed back to get Cian and bring him there but it was too late.  Cian told me that all he could see as he approached was a burst of ash and then nothing.  He felt the moment that Duncan died.  And so did I.”

“Oh, San…”

“I was at the inn with Vero in the kitchen doing something…I don’t even really remember what it was now.  All I remember was a shocking moment of pain, like something had been ripped from inside me and then nothing.  Just a hollow feeling and I knew.  I just knew that something had happened to Duncan.  Cian showed up a few days later and I could see it in his eyes.”

Accepting your hug, I rest my cheek against your shoulder, the sound of your sniffling causing me to pull back and cup your jaw, “Why the tears, love?”

“Santana, I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you.  You are as much a part of me as the blood in my body, as the thoughts in my head.  To think that you could be taken from me…to never feel you again?  I couldn’t…I just…”

Stepping closer to you, I slide my hands across your back and pull you against my body, pressing my lips against your hair as your tears wet the fabric of my shirt.  My own sadness as you spoke is only compounded by our connection and I pull back so I can cup your cheeks in my palms once more, my thumbs brushing away your tears, “Nobody will ever take me away from you, Brittany.  I swear it.”

“You can’t promise something like that.”

“Sweetheart…”

“You can’t,” Reaching up to hold onto my wrists, your eyes search my face, your voice tear-soaked and urgent as you continue speaking. “The death of my family has taught me that, San.  Nothing is promised to us with any certainty.  I don’t want you to have to break a promise like that to me.  When I let you claim me, it was because I wanted to be with you forever.  For as long as you exist, I will be by your side.  If anything should happen to you that would be the end of me.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth.  Why would I want to be here without you?”

The ochre is creeping around the edge of your blue eyes and I feel an answering shift in my own as your emotions wind through me.  The love coming from you is so strong and pure and in that moment, I feel the truth of your statement.  Closing my eyes, I’m forced to acknowledge that should something happen to you, I wouldn’t want to see the next minute after that.  Dropping my hands to your waist, I press forward and take your mouth in a kiss, your lips parting easily for me as I taste the salt of your tears.  As quickly as it starts, it’s over as I pull back, both of us panting in the tiny amount of space between our lips, “I love you.  So much.”

Even though your cheeks tremble, you greet my declaration with a smile, pulling me closer so my lips press against your neck as you rest your cheek against the top of my head, “I love you too, San.”

Raising my head, I hold you closer to my body as I hear footsteps running in our direction, stepping away from you only when I hear Robert’s voice call out my name.

“Here, Robert.  Around the back of the stables,” Yelling out, I help you down from the fence and hold your hand as we make our way around the side of the building.

Skidding to halt in front of us, Robert’s eyes are light, anxiety causing them to turn.  Looking quickly between the two of us, he gestures for us to follow him back to the inn, “Come quickly, Santana.”

“What is it?  What’s happened?”

“It’s Declan’s wife.”

Grabbing Robert’s arm, I pull him to a halt in front of the inn door, feeling you tremble where you’re still holding my hand, “Is she hurt?”

“She’s been killed.”


	8. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the night's events come to light, Santana is faced with a tough choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

Walking into the inn, the first thing I notice is that the entire dining area is empty except for my people.  Vero’s voice yells out for more towels and it’s then that I realize that there are a few injured men strewn around the room.  Releasing your hand, I follow Robert’s hurried instructions to follow him, my eyes scanning for Cian and unable to find him, “Where’s Cian?”

“Upstairs in your office.”

Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, I scan the room once more and feel apprehension tingle along my spine.  Taking a brief moment, I turn to you and pull you into an embrace, the grief coming from you a tangible thing as you shake in my arms, your thoughts heavy and pulling at my clarity.  Robert continues up the stairs and I guide you to the corner to afford us a little more privacy, “Brittany, look at me.”

You keep your head buried against my neck and I close my eyes as your arms tighten almost painfully around me, my heart breaking under the weight of our combined grief over losing a dear friend.  Even as I run my hands soothingly over your back, murmuring mindless words of comfort, my brain is racing and I have to concentrate on keeping my thoughts from you.  Knowing that I need to head upstairs to speak with Cian and Robert, I gently disentangle myself from your embrace, cupping your face in my hands, “Sweetheart, I need you to do me a favor, okay?”

Your blue eyes are swimming in tears as you shake your head, my name a broken whisper as you cling tightly to my shirt.  A shout of pain from one of the men by the kitchen draws my attention and I force my own grief down to be dealt with later as I look back at you, “I need you to stay down here with Vero.  See if you can help her tend to these injuries.  Can you do that for me?”

All I want is to gather you up and hold you, shielding you from the chaos around us.  But I know where Declan and his wife had traveled to this evening and as I watch you look over to the dining area, I feel a surge of anxiety that I’m barely able to keep from you.  Your cousin David was also traveling to the same location and I’m filled with dread over the news that might greet me once I’m upstairs.  Keeping you down here with Vero will help, if only briefly, to keep your mind from thinking about Declan’s wife but it will also buy me some time to act as a buffer between you and whatever I might find out.

“Brittany?”

Shifting your attention back to me, you take a deep breath and I can feel your grief dimming slightly as you agree to help Vero with the wounded.  Indulging myself, I pull you into a kiss, drawing comfort from the press of your lips against mine, a selfish reminder that you are still here with me.  Your ‘ _I love you_ ’ brushes against my consciousness before you pull back and make your way to Vero’s side.  Vero’s eyes find mine and in her brief nod, I find the small reassurance I need to drag myself from your side and head upstairs to face whatever news awaits me.

* * *

Opening my office door, I head straight for my whiskey, pouring myself, Robert and Cian full glasses before walking over to where they are standing by the map spread out on my desk, “What happened?”

“They were ambushed outside of town.”

Anger turns my eyes instantly and I see the matching ochre in Robert and Cian’s eyes.  Pacing away from the table, I place my glass onto my desk and drop my hands to brace myself against the edge, forcing myself to breathe through the ire.  Directing my question to Robert, I turn my head and meet his gaze, “Here?  They were ambushed outside of town here?  How is that possible?”

As Cian turns to glare out the window, I prepare myself for Robert’s answer, turning and standing before him as he speaks, “It seems as if some of the traitors had managed to tag along with the group you were sending ahead to Brogan’s Point.  They waited until they had cleared the wheat fields and entered the woods before attacking Cian and his men.”

“And Sara?” My voice catches on her name as Cian walks past me to pour himself more whiskey.

Robert’s eyes are a reflection of grief and anger and I reach out to rest my hand on his shoulder, providing a tiny bit of comfort as he answers me, “Declan was knocked from his horse and Sara ran over to defend him.  But by that time most of their men were wounded or killed so there were too many for her and they overpowered her.  She was killed right in front of him.”

Closing my eyes against the tears I can feel building, I ask the question that I had been dreading since Robert first found us by the stables, “And Declan?”

At Robert’s hesitation, I open my eyes to find both him and Cian watching me.  Stepping away from me, Robert makes his way over to the map as Cian answers my question, “He’s alive.  Wounded, but alive.”

The relief is so palpable that I allow myself to sink back against the edge of my desk, downing the rest of my whiskey as I look up at Cian, “Is he downstairs?  I should go to him.”

Before I can stand, Cian’s hand is on my arm, the tension in his body setting my teeth on edge.  “Santana, he’s not here.”

“What?  Did they just leave him there outside of town?”  Shrugging Cian’s hand off my arm, I make my way towards the door, looking over at Robert in anger, “Why are you all standing here if he’s out there hurt?”

“He’s not there, Santana.  After the attack, the traitors took off on horseback and Declan went after them.”

“Where would they go?”

“One of Declan’s men said they heard them say they were going to continue on to Brogan’s Point.  The town would be expecting Declan’s men and since they had our horses and our crest on their cloaks, they’d be allowed entrance inside.”

Cian’s eyes meet and hold mine for a long moment, years spent together allowing for a decision to be made without even a word, “Robert, gather the rest of our men.  The ones you know you can trust.  If you have even the smallest doubt as to their loyalty, you send them under the guise of another mission to Craven Creek.  That will put them right between Marcus and Victor’s men.  If they are loyal, when the time comes, they will help me crush Lucas once and for all.  And if they aren’t, then they won’t stand a chance between Marcus and Victor.”

Nodding briskly, Robert makes his way out of my office, shutting the door quietly behind him.  Joining Cian at the table, we both stare down at the pieces placed on the map, my eyes drawn to Brogan’s Point, “Brittany’s cousin is there.”

“I know.”

Thinking of you tending the wounded downstairs, your grief over losing a friend no doubt weighed down by the memories of your own family, I’m torn over my desire to protect you and my need to honor the trust between us.  I feel a twinge as the conversation we had earlier tonight plays over in my mind, the thought of losing you solidifying my decision.  Putting you in harm’s way is not an option and with brute force, I push away the guilt and my own anxiety at being separated from you and look up to find Cian watching me.

Taking a heavy breath, he reaches down and covers my hand, his gaze steady as he nods once, “When do we leave?”

* * *

I’m waiting for you in our room when you finally make your way upstairs, your movements jerky as you peel the blood-stained shirt from your body, tossing it away from you as you shut the door and just lean against it.  Moving away from the window where I’d been drawing the drapes closed against the approaching dawn, I open my arms and hold you close as you walk into my embrace, accepting your weight as you sag lightly against me.  With a soft kiss to your cheek, I step back and pull you over to the tub, already filled with hot water.  Wordlessly, you let me finish undressing you and help you into bath, turning and resting your cheek against my chest as I kneel beside you on the floor.  Wrapping my arm around your shoulder, I reach for the washcloth with my other hand and spend some time gently cleaning your body, washing your hair like a child as your eyes remain closed.  Pulling you to your feet, I wrap you in a towel and lift you from the bath, grabbing another towel to dry your hair.  Once you’re dry, I hand you one of my sleep shirts and guide you to our bed, dropping a kiss against your forehead with a whispered promise to return shortly.

It takes me some time to empty the dirty water from the tub and I use those few mindless moments to try and clear my thoughts, trying only to think of you and not of what tomorrow will bring.  Tossing the last bucket of water out the back door, I turn to find Vero standing behind me and watching me, her apron dirty with blood and grime.  Grabbing the bucket from my hand, she closes the door and puts the bucket next to the wall, my tears falling before her arms have completely gone around me.  Releasing the hold on my grief for a few moments, I let Vero’s arms hold me, finding comfort in them now as I did when I was little.  Sniffling, I pull away and wipe at my tears, placing a damp kiss to Vero’s cheek as she steps towards the container that houses my blood supply.  Grabbing two mugs, she pours blood into each before reaching for a vial tucked back in one of the kitchen racks, spilling a few drops from the vial into each mug.

“What was that?”

“Just something to soothe both of you.  It’ll help, I promise.”

Accepting both mugs, the vial in Vero’s hand reminds me of something.  Clearing my throat against the guilt that threatens to tighten my voice, I look thoughtfully at her, “Vero, do you remember the spell you used to speak when I was young and couldn’t settle down to sleep?”

“Of course, child.  I still use it on my husband on occasion.”

That draws a small smile from me and I force my features to remain neutral lest Vero catch on to the true nature of my inquiry, “Do you think you could teach it to me now?”

Untying her apron and tossing it onto the nearby table, Vero fixes me with a stare and I force my shoulders to relax as she continues to look at me, “What do you need it for?”

“For Brittany.  With everything that’s happened here tonight, and losing Declan’s wife, she’s so upset and I just want her to be able to sleep.  To have a few hours of peace before she has to deal with everything again.” The not-quite-a-lie falls easily from my lips and I swallow quickly as I push forward with my request, “And I know she has to be thinking about her own family.”

Vero’s face softens and guilt forces my gaze to the mugs in my hand as she grabs a paper and quill to write the spell down.  Setting one of the mugs down, I reach forward to take the paper once she’s finished writing, my eyes scanning over the words, their familiarity easing some of my tension.  Tucking the paper into my trouser pocket, I pick up the mug and go to leave the kitchen, Vero’s voice calling out to me as I open the door, “Santana?”

Pausing in the threshold of the doorway, Vero holds my gaze for a few seconds and I see the understanding in her eyes.  “Be careful.”

With a small nod, I slip out of the kitchen and make my way back upstairs to you.

* * *

Shutting the door to our room, I put the two mugs on the small table next to the bed, meeting your tired eyes as you watch me from under the covers. Moving to reach for another sleep shirt to change into, I’m stopped by your soft voice, “Santana?  Do you mind not wearing that to bed?”

Looking down, I see your own sleep shirt hanging over the end of the bed, and I put my shirt back down on the dresser, “Okay, baby.  Let me just bank the fire for the night and light a few candles.”  Reaching down, I grab one of the mugs of blood and hold it out to you, shaking my head when you decline, “Please, Brittany.  I promise it’ll make you feel a little better, okay?”

Picking up my own mug after you take the other from my hand, I wait until you take your first sip before drinking from mine, moving to the fireplace and then lighting the candles by the bed.  Taking your empty mug, I put it with mine on the table and remove my shirt and pants, letting them drop to the floor as I climb under the covers with you.  Immediately, your naked body is pressed against me, your full weight on top of me as you wrap your arms under me and rest your cheek against my shoulder.  Pressing my lips against your hair, I take my first easy breath of the night, the feel of you in my arms soothing the frayed edges of my nerves. 

Easing my hold slightly, I run my hands up and down your back, watching the play of shadows from the candles dance across the ceiling.  Shifting your body, you lean up slightly and I bring my gaze back down to your face, tracing the lines of sadness etched around your mouth.  Tightening my arms, I pull you forward so I can place a soft kiss against your lips.  I drop my head back against the pillow and lift my shoulders as you bring your hands to rest on top of my chest, my fingertips brushing aimless patterns against your arms.

“Vero told me that Declan is alive.  Do you know where he is?”

Breathing easy, I keep my thoughts calm as I answer you with as much truth as I’m willing to admit, “Robert told me that he went after the people who attacked them.”

“Where are they going?”

“We can’t be sure, exactly,” The half-truth tastes bitter in my mouth and I swallow hard before continuing.  “We’ve sent men out to try and find them.  With Declan injured, we’re hoping he travels slower so our men can reach him before he can get himself hurt any worse.  Even _our_ bodies need time to heal from major injuries and with him riding, he won’t heal as well or as quickly.”

Nodding your head, you trace your fingertips across my collarbones, running your thumbs over the pendant resting on my chest.  Tucking your hair behind your ears, I keep my touch light as I soothe my hands across your shoulders, your voice rough as you reach up to wipe at your tears, “I can’t believe she’s gone, Santana.”

“I know, baby.”

“We were supposed to go riding tomorrow night.  And now…now…”

Turning onto my side, I pull your body close to mine and tuck your head against my neck as you cry, my own tears wetting the pillow beneath my head as we mourn the death of our friend.  Eventually, your tears stop and your breathing evens out as you fall asleep, exhausted in my arms.  I keep my hand moving along your back, small tremors moving through you as you sleep fitfully, my own eyes closing shortly after.  I’m not sure how long we lay there before I’m jolted awake as you twist and turn in my arms, my eyes immediately searching the now darkened room for any sign of danger.  Finding none, I look down and see that you are having a bad dream, your whimpers pulling at my heart.  Rolling you onto your back, I gently shake your shoulder, holding lightly as you jerk awake, your eyes wide and frantic as they look at me.

“Shhhhh, you’re okay, it’s just a nightmare.”

“San?”

“You’re safe, sweetheart,” Brushing your sweaty hair back from your forehead, I brace my weight on my elbow and lean forward to press my lips against your brow, your arms wrapping low on my waist.  Lifting up, I shift my weight and slide my thigh between yours, covering your shaking body with my own.  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“No,” You shake your head slowly, taking a deep breath as you pull back to look at me. “I don’t really remember what it was about.  I just remember feeling like I had to find you but I couldn’t.”

Your voice trembles on that last word, your arms reaching up to pull me down onto your body.  Placing kisses against your cheek, I can feel your breath rough and uneven as you try not to cry and I rush to reassure you, “Brittany, I’m right here.  We’re okay.”

Turning your head, your eyes find mine and I can see the ochre ringing the edge of your eyes, your awareness of where our bodies are touching tickling the edge of my mind.  Never looking away, you curl your hips and press lightly against my thigh between your legs, my own hips helplessly following suit.

“Brittany, what are you doing?”

Repeating the motion, you caress the skin along my sides, licking your lips as you slowly start to move with purpose, “I need you.”

Your voice is heavy with emotion and as your hands come to rest against my waist, your thigh shifts and my lower stomach pulses with arousal.  Looking down at you, I’m overcome with the thought of losing you, unable to tell if it’s your emotions or mine that I’m feeling but not caring.  The feel of you moving against me, the sight of your pale skin in contrast to mine, just everything about being here with you in this moment forces everything else to the side.  Thinking about the slip of paper sitting inside my discarded trousers makes my heart ache and I bury that emotion, giving myself over to the right here and now with you safe in my arms.

Together we rock in long, slow movements, your wetness warm against my thigh as you pull kiss after kiss from my mouth.  Stretching my arms above your head, I lengthen my body, breathing through my nose as your tongue licks into my mouth.  Your fingers are spread wide on my hips, your thumbs pressing into my hipbones as you guide me to move just a little bit faster.  Pulling away from the kiss, I lean up and feel your ribs expand against me as you take a deep breath, breathing out my name on an sigh.

Driving my hips a little harder, I feel myself clench as the ochre takes over the blue of your eyes, your head arching back as I run my open mouth along your throat.  Closing my eyes, I fight back the despair threatening to seep into my thoughts, instead concentrating on the smell of your skin and the feel of your hands as they slide across my back.  There’s nothing more I want than to just stay here with you forever, the heat of you against my body, the sounds of pleasure escaping your mouth even as you bite your lip hard enough to draw blood.  Keeping my eyes closed, I take your mouth in a kiss, your blood slippery on your tongue as you run it along mine.  Your hip turns slightly and I am yanked out of the kiss by your hand in my hair, your eyes intense on my face as you plant your feet against the bed, sliding harder and faster against my thigh.  Pressing my knee harder into the mattress, I used the added leverage to open my legs a little wider, my arousal slick against your leg.  Keeping your hands against the back of my neck, you pull me closer, your panting breaths brushing against my face as your voice trembles, “Don’t ever leave me, Santana.  I love you so much, please…”

The guilt of what I’m going to do squeezes around my heart and I have to shut my eyes against your pleading, surging up to press deep kisses against your mouth.  Distracting you, I pour all my love into the motions of my body, speaking with rocking hips and throaty moans as your hands dig into my shoulders.  Needing to breathe, I instead trail kisses across your cheek and jaw, keeping my mouth open against the side of your throat as your body races towards climax.  Your legs tighten against my thigh and your nails press into my skin, the click of your teeth sounding against my ear as your pleasure finally consumes you, your low groan quickly ushering in my own orgasm as you drop your hands to my lower back and keep up the movement of your hips.  Lifting my head, I softly kiss you, our bodies still moving slowly against each other for a few minutes more.  Pushing on my shoulder, you roll me over onto my back, wrapping your arm around my waist as you curl your leg over my thigh and rest your head against my chest.  Bringing my arms around you, I inhale deeply, hoping to hold onto the smell of you, of us, in the days ahead.

“I love you, Brittany.  You are the most important thing in my life and I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, I hope you know that.”

Pressing a kiss to my chest, you tighten your arm around my waist, tilting your head back to look up at me, “I know, San.”

I can feel the tears in my eyes and I blink them away, reaching my hand up to trace my fingers across your eyebrow and your cheek, tracing the smoothness of your bottom lip.  Memorizing the stunning blue of your eyes and the way your hair falls over your shoulder, I cup your jaw and lean up to kiss you again, drawing a last few minutes of comfort from your body stretched out against me.  Resting my head on the pillow, I guide your head back to my chest, your sleepy declaration of love a balm to my aching heart. 

Closing my eyes, I say a prayer to whoever might be listening as I steel myself for what has to be done.  Whispering the enchantment against your temple, I can only hope that should I live to make my way back to you, you’ll forgive me for leaving you behind.


	9. Inevitable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the ride towards Brogan's Point continues, Santana begins to question her decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

The three days of hard traveling have provided just the kind of distraction I needed after slipping from our bed an hour before sunrise.  Cian’s hushed and understanding voice outside our bedroom door telling me it was time to go felt like nails against an already open wound.  Quietly grabbing my pack containing clothes and my personal weapons, I’d indulged myself in a few precious moments of watching you sleep, tears falling unheeded onto the blanket covering your body.  Glancing once at the note I’d left for you to find later that evening when you awoke, I debated the merits of my actions.  Memory of the sound of your grief as you cried for Sara had hardened my resolve to protect you now and suffer the wrath of your anger and hurt later.  As much as it would pain me, I’d rather you be alive and angry with me than gone from my life because I was too selfish in wanting you at my side.  So with a soft kiss and whispered endearments, I’d left the inn with Cian, both of us shuttled away in a darkened carriage driven by one of our trusted familiars.

We’d slept here and there, stretching our legs at night and planning with Robert and with Bastian, who’d met us halfway with a small contingent of men and woman loyal to Victor.  Bone weary, with my anxiety growing the closer we got to Brogan’s Point, I’d driven all thoughts of you from my mind as I filled my time with discussions of strategy and of revenge.  It was in those few seconds when I’d managed to close my eyes before daybreak, our connection stretched gossamer thin, that I could allow myself the miniscule comfort of knowing you were alright.  Even as we drew ever closer to what might be my own death, I wrapped myself in a blanket of righteousness and told myself that what I was doing was for your own good.  But it was cold comfort and was wearing thinner the longer we were apart, the stress no doubt starting to show.

“Goddammit, Santana,” Cian’s voice follows his thumping fist to the map laid out on the main table in my tent, his hand gesturing angrily to the path plotted out. “We are just about a day’s ride to Brogan’s Point.  If we cut through here and avoid the Willow River, we will cut at least 4 or 5 hours from our travel time.  Santana, we can push a little further and be there before morning.”

“An hour before morning, maybe.”

“An hour would be enough to get in and find Declan and destroy the traitors.”

“With what?”  Walking to the open flap of my tent, I sweep my hand out to the men and horses gathered around fires and tents, their body language every bit of weary. “Exhausted horses and tired men?  And what of us?  You say an hour before sunrise as if it were of no consequence to be caught in town beyond that time.”

“We just need to get inside the gates,” Cian points again to the map and I reluctantly make my way back over. “Once inside, we can stick to the shadows and the structures.  They won’t be expecting us to strike so close to sunrise.  It will work.”

Looking at Robert and Bastian, I incline my head for them to provide their counsel, pointedly ignoring Cian’s sigh of frustration, “What are your thoughts on this?”

Nodding to Robert, Bastian defers the question, standing side by side with him in a show of support for whatever Robert was going to say next.  Looking to Cian, Robert offers a quick apology before turning to face me, “I agree with you, Santana.  Given the condition of our men and horses, it would be best to stay to our original plan and wait one more day and then go into town at night as discussed.  Pushing ahead so close to sunrise risks all our lives.  Our familiars would be too exhausted to fight and we would be trapped trying to fight as the sun rose over our heads.”

“Cowards…”

“Enough!” Locking eyes with Cian, I square my shoulders and step closer to him. “I suggest you leave my tent and go cool off.  Perhaps after some rest yourself, you’ll approach this with a clearer head.”

Barely noticing as Robert and Bastian slip outside, I’m brought up short by Cian’s rough response, “Maybe you can rest easy as Declan continues to rides into peril but it’s not so easy for me.”

Softening my shoulders, I reach for Cian, my touch light as I hold his forearm, “Cian, I know you want to push us all forward but Declan is smart.  He won’t approach the town, even in his grief and anger, until nightfall when he would be at his strongest, despite his injuries.  We just have to wait a little longer.”

“Funny words coming from you, Santana,” My surprise at his tone rocks me back as Cian moves his arm from my grasp. “Or have you forgotten that Brittany’s cousin is surely now at Brogan’s Point, unaware of whatever trap he may have walked into?”

“I haven’t forgotten that David is there,” Ignoring the twist of anguish at the mention of your name, I pace away from Cian and head over to the flask of whiskey resting on the edge of the table.  Welcoming the burn as I take a healthy sip, I feel the metal crush slowly in my hand at Cian’s next words.

“No?  Perhaps you just don’t care, then.  Otherwise we’d be riding at this very moment to his and Declan’s aid.”

Keeping my back to Cian, I turn my head slowly and address him over my shoulder, my fists clenched tight at my side, “I suggest you leave this tent.  Right now.”

“As you wish, _Mistress_ ,” Cian’s sarcastic tone follows him as he makes his way from my tent, the crunching sound of his boots over the dirt fading away quickly.

Stiffly, I walk over and let the front flap of the tent fall closed, enclosing me in the relative privacy of my tent.  Rubbing a hand across my chest, I try to let the hurt and anger over Cian’s words fade away.  My own self-doubt as to the right course of action pulls my mouth into a grimace as I kneel down among the pile of furs serving as my bed roll.  Closing my eyes, I will the frustrated tears away, trying to concentrate instead on the mundane sounds of our campsite, the men and women talking despite their exhaustion as the occasional sounds of the horses breaks through.  I lean my weight to the side and reach over the furs for my pack, digging my hand down to the very bottom and pulling out one of your sleep shirts, stolen in a moment of weakness as I left the inn.  Setting the pack against the leg of the table, I roll over onto my side and lay the shirt down next to me, propping my head up as I drop my other hand down to rest against the fabric.

Your smell has mostly faded from the shirt but I bring the sleeve to my nose anyway, shutting my eyes tight as I inhale deeply, the faint trace of you enough to briefly comfort me.  Dropping the sleeve, I open my eyes and let my fingers play with the buttons of the shirt, the phantom memory of the feel of your skin beneath my hand coloring my cheeks with guilt.  As the days have gone on, I’ve consoled myself with the perceived knowledge that being separated from you for a short amount of time will outweigh the alternative of losing you forever.  But as tension and fatigue mount, even the solace of having this reminder of you is proving to be no match for the desire to have you at my side, my need to have you at my side.  If I’m being honest with myself and, in the solitude of my tent, I have no choice but to be, not having you here is starting to feel like a mistake.

The fight with Cian replays in my head and I take a deep breath, trying to breathe through the hurt and the irritation over his words.  Stretching my arm out, I pull your shirt closer to my chest, resting my cheek against the bundled material.  I know that if you were here, you could have spoken to Cian and helped diffuse the situation.  I’m not sure I realized how much I relied on your counsel until I forced myself to go without it and that truth adds to the heaviness your absence already brings to my heart.

Closing my eyes, I bury my face against your shirt, giving myself over to the ache as my tears begin to fall.  It seems the fates have no time for my pain as only a few minutes later, a shout sounds outside my tent.

“Santana?”

Quickly tucking your shirt under my pillow, I stand up and move to sit at the table, wiping briskly at my eyes to clear any lingering emotion, “Come in, Robert.”

Coming to stand in front of the table, the look on Robert’s face has me rising from my chair before he even speaks, “Cian is gone.”

“What do you mean ‘gone’?  Gone where?”

“We don’t know,” Running a hand over his bald head, my eyes follow Robert as he paces the width of the tent.  “His horse is gone and he doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the camp.  I’ve sent someone to check with the scouts up ahead to see if he’s left for town.”

“Idiot.”

Robert greets my murmured assessment with silence, waiting for my dismissal.  Glancing over at the crumpled flask on the table, I’m reminded of my fight with Cian from earlier and my anger gives way to concern.  Running my hands over my face, I walk over and escort Robert from my tent, looking over in the direction of where I know Brogan’s Point to be.  Briefly nodding to him, I take my leave and head to the tent where our blood supply is being kept, “Tell me as soon as you hear anything.  Understood?”

“Yes, Santana.”

Grabbing a new flask of whiskey and an additional flask of blood, I head back to my tent, downing the blood in one go.  Hunger is the last thing on my mind but with the added concern now of Cian missing, I know I have to keep up my strength.  Figuring that while I couldn’t sleep, I could at least try and let my body rest, I lay back down on the furs, taking a long pull of whiskey before tucking it into my pack.  Folding my arms behind my head, I watch the candles burn by the table, my eyes growing heavy within minutes as I slip unguarded into a memory.

 

* * *

 

_“Brittany, you need to relax.”_

_“I’m trying.”_

_Shuffling a little closer to you on the bed, I grab your hands and hold them between us as my bent knees press lightly against you.  Squeezing your hands gently, I run my thumbs along the inside of your wrists, calming you as I match my breathing to yours, “It’s okay if you don’t get it on the first couple of tries.  Compulsion takes some practice to really be able to use it with ease.”_

_Taking a few deep breaths, you meet my eyes again and square your shoulders, your hands going limp in mine as you force yourself to relax.  Keeping my mind calm and open for you, I clamp down on the connection we share and let you approach me as Brittany, and not my mate and lover.  Smiling gently as I feel the faint beginnings of compulsion start to reach my mind, I’m pulled out of the moment as you throw yourself back onto the bed with a huff of frustration._

_“Santana, it’s no use.  You’re my sire.  Maybe I’m not supposed to be able to compel you.”_

_Thinking back on the few times Cian and I used compulsion on our sire for a bit of fun, I reach forward and grab your hands again, pulling you back into a seated position in front of me.  Laughing, I lean forward and kiss your pouting lip, resting my hands on top of your legs stretched out on either side of me, “Yes, you can compel your sire.  True, it takes a little more effort than compelling somebody else and your sire will always remember afterwards that they’ve been compelled.  So, you have to choose your compulsion wisely with them but it can be done.”_

_Ducking my head, I catch your eye and smile reassuringly, “You can do this, love.  It’s not so much a forcing of your will onto the person as it is a guiding of their thoughts and actions.  You’re suggesting something to them and encouraging them to follow your direction rather than grabbing them and making them do what you want them to do.  Does that make sense?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“It’s just a matter of relaxing into it as you’re learning.  Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll be able to compel someone within seconds because you’ve trained your mind and body to do so.  I assume it would be much like your dancing, where you had to practice something before just jumping right into it.”_

_At that, I see recognition in your eyes and the smile that blooms is much less strained than the others I’ve seen during this training session.  Sitting up a little straighter, I can see the eagerness taking over as you nod your head in agreement, “Yes, I see what you mean now, San.  Can I try again?”_

_“Sure, but first I’m going to try a little something so your mind can get used to the feeling,” Holding your gaze, I relax into the compulsion, letting my eyes lighten as you smile and languidly follow through on my command.  Resting back on my hands, I release the compulsion and smirk as you blink your eyes, coming back into awareness within seconds._

_“Santana.”_

_“Yes?”_

_Chuckling, you pick up your discarded shirt from the side of the bed and hold it up for my inspection, “Very funny.”_

_Letting my eyes take in your naked torso, I meet your amused stare and lick my lips, “Very beautiful.”_

_Your blush is adorable and I sit forward so I can pull you into a smiling kiss, kissing your forehead briefly as I lean back again, “I thought you’d be more comfortable and it would help you relax.”_

_Rolling your eyes, you grin at me for a few seconds before beckoning me closer, “Maybe_ you _need to relax and that’s why this isn’t working.  You should probably remove your shirt also.”_

_Arching my eyebrow, I bring my hands to the buttons only to stop thoughtfully as I continue to look at you.  Sitting cross-legged in front of you, I let my hands drop to rest on top of my knees and relax my posture, “Make me.”_

_“What?”_

_“Compel me to remove my shirt.”_

_“San…”_

_“No, listen…I think it’ll be easier for you to do this since it’s something you want,” Closing my eyes, I take a slow breath and clear my thoughts, blocking the sight of your tempting body from my mind and instead opening myself up to you.  Meeting your eyes, I nod my head and tap my fingers against your leg, “Trust me.  Just breathe and relax and look at me.  Imagine my hands are your hands and tell them what to do.  Okay?”_

_I feel a spark of pride as your body language changes, becoming more focused even as your eyes remain soft on mine.  I have a brief moment of appreciation for how blue your eyes are before I’m blinking rapidly, goosebumps breaking out on my skin as I look down to see my shirt bunched up in my hands._

_“Hey!  Good job, sweetheart.  You totally did…” My words are cut off as you throw yourself at me, knocking me onto my back as you kiss me soundly.  Brushing my hands across your back, I rest them against your waist as you brace your weight and lean over me, your breathless smile no doubt matching the same one on my face._

_“I did it!”_

_“You did.”_

_“You’re not wearing a shirt!”_

_Laughing, I glance down to where our bodies are pressed together, feeling the early stirrings of lust at the sight, “Neither are you.”_

_Dropping a slow kiss to the curve of my breast, you look up at me through your lashes, your voice playful as you slide your lips to the other side, “I think I really like our training sessions.”_

_Holding tighter to your waist, I arch my neck back as your mouth makes its way across my chest to press warm kisses against my throat, “I can’t imagine why.”_

_I feel your cheek curve underneath my jaw as you smile and I run my fingertips lightly across your shoulders as you push back up look at me, “You know, we still seem to a bit overdressed, don’t you think?”_

_“I do.  What should we do about that?”_

_As you brace your weight on one hand and drop the other to run across my stomach, I groan under my breath as your fingertips dip in the waistband of my pants.  Your legs shift and before I can move my hands from your back, you’re tugging me back into a seated position, kneeling before me as you grip lightly against my shoulders, “I think I should compel them off of you.”_

_“Or you could just take them off me.”_

_Pouting, you rest your weight on your heels, poking my shoulder as you continue speaking, “But how am I going to learn compulsion if you won’t let me practice on you?”_

_As always, I am helpless against your pout and yank back on the lust blooming just under the surface of my skin, settling myself more comfortably on the bed, “Okay, love.  You’re right.  My pants are at your command.”_

_Your giggle is infectious and we both laugh for a few minutes before you slide your hands around the back of my neck, leaning closer to me as once again all I can focus on are your blue eyes, “I’m so glad you said that because…”_

 

* * *

 

Disoriented, I’m woken abruptly from the dream by a commotion outside of my tent.  Rolling to a standing position, I check to make sure my sword is within easy reach, heading to the front of my tent.  Thinking the rider had returned with word of Cian, I pull the flap open and step out towards the sound, pulling up short at the sight of Asim breathing hard and pulling at the reins as Bastian digs his feet into the ground, trying to calm him down.  I feel my heart kick into a sprint as I frantically start to look around the camp, fear and anxiety warring with the spark of foolish hope bursting into flames inside of me. 

Turning quickly at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, I am unprepared for the slap that greets me.  Holding the side of my face, the only thing I can do is whisper your name, “Brittany?”


	10. You Have To Have A Little Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the battle at Brogan's Point approaches, Santana must face the consequences of her actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

“Brittany?”

Dropping my hand from my face, I can only stand there and stare at you, all other sounds of the camp fading as my blood pounds in my ears.  You’re dressed for hard riding and despite the mud and grim covering the men’s clothes you have on, I drink in the sight of you.  Your eyes have remained blue even through the slap, your mouth parted on labored breathing and I watch as your hands curl into fists the longer we stand and look at each other.  I can feel your anger and anxiety battering at my mind but it is the relief coming off of you in waves that finally prompts me into action as I take a tentative step in your direction.

A grunt from Bastian turns both our heads as he’s brought to one knee by Asim yanking back on his reins.  Striding over to Asim, I watch you gently take the reins from Bastian, speaking soothing words as you lead your horse to where the others are tethered for the night.  Catching the eyes of all those gathered for our little exchange, I scowl at them until they resume whatever they were doing before you rode into camp, pointedly ignoring their whispered murmurs.  Turning back in your direction, I watch you stop to speak with Bastian, your face soft with a smile as you thank him for restraining Asim and ask him to provide food and water for your horse.  As quick as your smile appears it’s gone as you leave him and make your way back to me, brushing by my side without a word as you walk into my tent.  Meeting Bastian’s eyes, he shrugs his shoulders before leaving to do your bidding and I stand there debating on my next move.

Giving myself a few moments to try and get my feelings under control, I walk over to the supply tent and procure some blood for you and I, pausing on my way out as Robert appears at the entrance.  From the look on his face I know that Cian has yet to be accounted for and I feel my concern increase, my emotions amplified by our connection as I can feel you pacing around my tent.  Looking over in that direction, I ask Robert to disturb me only if he has word about Cian, trying to calm my breathing as I watch his retreating back.

Steeling myself for your wrath, I walk into my tent and set the flasks of blood onto the floor, turning and kneeling down to hook the flap closed.  Reaching to pick up the blood, I’m instead left grabbing air as I’m hauled up and spun around, pulled tight into a crushing hug as you wrap your arms around me.  Surprise slows my reaction but a moment later I’m returning your embrace, burying my face against the side of your neck, closing my eyes in relief at the feel of you in my arms again.  After a couple of minutes, you pull back and look at me, brushing your fingertips against the cheek that you slapped, your features pinched in remorse.

“I’m sorry I hit you, Santana.”

Covering your hand with mine, I keep your palm pressed against my skin, turning my head to press a kiss against the inside of your wrist, “It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” Sliding your hand from my grip, you drop your arms to your side as your posture slumps in remorse.  “I shouldn’t have struck you.”

“I deserved it, Brittany,” Shrugging my shoulders, I keep my eyes on you as you walk away from me and go to lean against the table.  Stooping down to pick up the flasks of blood, I see your stolen sleep shirt on top of the furs now, no doubt pulled out from behind the pillow by your hands.  Walking forward, I hand you one of the flasks, putting mine on top of the table in favor of stuffing my hands into my pockets, the urge to reach for you testing my willpower.

Putting the flask behind you, you hold your hands in front of you, your eyes tracing over my face before holding my gaze, “Never that.  Please say you forgive me.”

My chest aches at your plea for forgiveness when it’s I who should be on my knees before you, begging for you to forgive me for leaving you.  Inching a little bit closer to you, I nod my head and flex my hands inside my pocket, guilt starting to churn along with the whiskey inside my stomach, “Of course.  God, Brittany, of course I forgive you.  I understand why you hit me.”

At that, your nervous hands still, a small hint of anger washing over your face again, “Do you?”

“Brittany, I do.  I left you and…”

“You left me.”

Your broken whisper stills my words and I watch as you reach into your pocket and remove the letter I had left for you, turning it over and over in your hands as you keep your eyes averted from me, “I woke up and you were gone.  I thought this letter was just a note like the others you’ve left for me before, something simple telling me to stay in bed and that you’d gone to get us blood.  But as soon as I saw your writing, I knew something was wrong.  After everything that happened that night and you…you just left me, with only a letter to explain.”

Tossing the letter behind you, you push off the table and bend down to pick up your sleep shirt from the furs, holding it between us like an accusation, “Did this make you feel better at night?”

The hurt coming from you punches into me and I step forward, bracing my hand against the table as I shake my head, “Please, let me just…”

“You should have talked to me,” Dropping the shirt, you walk away from me and head towards the front of the tent, panic straightening my posture as the fear that you may now leave rushes through me. “After everything we talked about, you just made the decision to leave me behind to protect me like I’m a helpless child.”

Fear freezes me momentarily as you as kneel down and unhook the flap, lifting it so you can exit.  Racing forward, I reach for your arm, cursing the trembling in my hand that you can probably feel, “No, please.  Don’t leave, not now.  I’m so sorry, please.”

Turning around, the irritation on your face quickly fades as you look at me, “Santana, I’m not leaving.  I just left my pack outside.”  Stepping closer to me, you rest your hands on top of my shoulders and grant me a small smile, “I’ve barely slept or eaten these past few days, between riding and hiding out during the day.  I didn’t do all that just to see you for a few minutes.  Besides, I came here to fight with you and it would hardly be fair if I left before getting to yell at you.”

With that, you step outside the tent and as I hear your footsteps heading towards where Asim is settled for the night, I turn and look around my tent.  The thought of having you here with me fills me with a lightness and despite the talk I know we’re going to have soon, I allow a smile to stretch across my face.  Taking in the condition of the tent, I hurry to make things more presentable, using a few moments to pour the two flasks of blood into a large mug for you.  Rolling the map up, I put it to the side of the table and place the mug down, crouching down to fold your sleep shirt and leave it on top of the furs for you.  With nothing left to do, I take a seat at the table and anxiously wait for your return.

 

* * *

 

It’s the splashing of water that rouses me from sleep, my neck sore from the angle my head had lolled against my shoulder.  Looking over at the sound, I can only sit there as I absorb the sight of you, your naked body damp and illuminated by the candles you’d placed on the table.  Dipping into the water bucket again, you bring a wash cloth down across one leg and then the other, my quickened breathing alerting you to my awakened state.  You glance over at me with an unreadable expression on your face, dropping the washcloth against the side of the bucket and reaching forward to pick up your sleep shirt from the table.  Pulling it over your body as you walk towards me, I go to rise from my seat only to be stopped by you sitting sideways in my lap, your arm going around my shoulder as your other hand reaches up to caress the side of my face.

Tentatively putting my arm around your waist, I bring my other hand up to hold onto your forearm, meeting your serious gaze, “This is an interesting way to fight, Brittany.”

“They told me about Cian,” Your voice is soft as you drop your hand to your lap, lacing our fingers together as your thumb massages lightly against my palm.  “I know you must be worried for him.”

Nodding, I lean my forehead against your shoulder, keeping my eyes on our joined hands as you continue speaking, “And, even though I am still angry at you, I know it was hard for you to leave me, San.  I can see the strain of everything on you and while we do need to talk, I don’t want to add to everything by being distant.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Probably not,” Your voice has a hint of a smile in it and I raise my head to look at you, closing my eyes in relief as you lean forward and press your lips gently against mine.  This simple connection loosens some of the anxiety in my stomach and as you pull away, I feel like I can finally meet your eyes with a little less guilt than before.

“How did you know where we were?”

Your face flushes red at my question, my arm tightening around your waist as you shift anxiously and answer me, “I compelled Vero.”

“Brittany…”

“I know, I know.  You said we shouldn’t ever really use it on our friends but, after I read your letter, I felt like I was going to go crazy, Santana.  I _had_ to know where you were heading.  After everything that happened, I couldn’t just sit back and wait there for you.  So, when I was in the kitchen helping her with dinner, I compelled her and asked her where you and the others were traveling to.  After I got the details, I told her to sit down and rest for a little bit which gave me enough time to go upstairs, get my bag packed, get Asim ready, and then take off after you.”

After your confession, I gently remove my hand from yours and cup your face, smoothing my thumb over the warm skin of your cheek, “What you did was very stupid, Brittany.”

Your gaze hardens and I rush to continue speaking, keeping my touch light as I brush your hair back from your face, “Traveling alone can be very dangerous especially so soon after an ambush.  But, I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t a part of me that is proud of you.”

“For being able to use compulsion?”

Your cheek lifts in a slight curve and I trail my fingertip across your small smile before settling my hand back down in your lap, “No.  Well yes, in general, I’m glad that you are getting the hang of it.  But using compulsion on Vero is going to have consequences for you and when we get back home, you’re going to have to make amends to her for that.” 

“I know, San.”

“What I’m proud of is that you made your way here, alone.  It was foolish but also incredibly brave.”

Smiling at the compliment, you duck your head and press a kiss against my cheek, keeping your lips there for a few seconds before inhaling deeply and sitting back to look at me once again.

Holding still as you search my eyes, I eventually break the silence and squeeze lightly against your side, “What is it?”

“Santana, why did you leave me?”  Dropping your arm from around my shoulder, you bring both hands down to hold mine, your gaze remaining steady on my face.  “I know what you said in the letter, about wanting to keep me safe and protect me from whatever you may be riding into once you get to Brogan’s Point.”

“I do want to protect you.”

“But you had to know that leaving would hurt me and I know you don’t want to do that.”

“No, never.  I never want to hurt you, Brittany.”

“But you did hurt me.  What was it that made leave then?”

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and let myself have a few seconds of stillness before meeting your eyes, “Your cousin is at Brogan’s Point.”

Anticipation of your reaction has me tightening my arm around your waist but I can feel your nervous energy spike and I relinquish my hold, remaining seated as you pace away from me.  Stopping in front of where my weapons are propped up, you turn your head and address me, “Are you sure?”

It’s the soft strain in your voice that has me rising to go to your side, reaching over to pick up the map and spread it out again on the table, shifting the candles until the details are more clearly illuminated.  Pointing first to your cousins’ original location and then at Brogan’s Point, I keep my eyes on the map even as I feel your gaze on the side of my face, “It…it made sense, at the time, to send him there to meet Declan and his men.  It was only a two day ride and it was only to be a strategy meeting, nothing more.  When I heard that the traitors who ambushed Declan were going to continue on, with our horses and our crest, I knew that David could be walking into a trap.”

“You didn’t think I should know that?”

Forcing myself to face you, I’m startled by the sudden change of your eyes, your anger pushing its way inside my mind.  Keeping my voice calm, I reach out for your hand, doing my best to answer your question, “I didn’t know what we would find when we got there and I was hoping to spare you the…”

Slapping my hand away, you step forward and instinct has my teeth clicking down, your features sharpening into focus as the ochre takes over my eyes.  Your color is riding high on your cheekbones and seeing the pain in your eyes, I let myself stand there and take whatever you are going to say to me, guilt and regret weighing heavy on my chest.

“Spare me?  You should have just told me, Santana.  He’s my family.  I deserved to know what was happening.”

“I know and you’re right.  But we had just lost Sara and Declan was gone.  Men that were my friends were either dead or wounded downstairs in my inn and you…God, Brittany.  I could feel your grief and your confusion and just everything.  And I wouldn’t…I couldn’t add to it by telling you that David could be in danger.”

“But Santana…”

“I sent him there!” Slapping my hand against the table, I push away from you, walking away to sit back down in the chair, dropping my elbows to my knees as I stare at the ground beneath my feet.   “Don’t you see?  All these men and women, your cousin, they all trust me to lead them and do the right thing.  But how can I be right when my own men are ambushed right outside of town?  When I could have just sent your cousin to his death?  I needed you somewhere safe so I could try to make things right.  I couldn’t take it if something happened to you because of my bad decisions.”

“Leaving me behind was a bad decision,” Closing my eyes at your statement, I’m surprised to feel your hands on my shoulders as you kneel before me, tipping my chin up so I can look at you.  “My place is at your side, Santana.  Always.  I can appreciate you wanting to protect me but who is going to protect you?  All this responsibility that you carry, all this guilt…you don’t have to carry it alone any longer.”

Accepting your embrace as you lean forward between my knees, I wrap my arms around your shoulders and pull you tight against me, easing up only when I feel you start to lean back to look at me again, “San, we have to trust that David will take care of himself.  There can be no other outcome because I refuse to believe that the Fates would be so cruel as to allow all the forces to conspire against us.  I know my cousin and I know he’s going to be okay.  You have to believe it too.”

Cupping your face in my hands, I whisper my apology again as I watch your eyes change back into their natural blue, “I’m so sorry I left you behind, Brittany.  It’s been so hard not having you with me.  And now with Cian gone, I just…”

Pursing your lips as my voice breaks, you lean forward and kiss me, your arms sliding around my waist as you tug me closer into your body.  Pulling away slowly, you rub your hands against my back for a few moments before moving to your feet, urging me to stand up as well, “Come to bed now, San.  Bastian told me that we’re leaving tonight for Brogan’s Point and it’s almost morning now.  Neither one of us are going to do anyone any good if we’re this tired.  We need to rest, okay?”

Nodding my head, I strip my clothes off and toss them onto the chair behind me, tugging a sleep shirt from my pack and getting dressed as you settle yourself under the furs.  Extinguishing the candles, I tune my ears to the camp, breathing out a small sigh of relief as I hear our familiars take up defensive positions for the day, protecting us as well as the camp.  Grabbing my sword, I lay it close to the furs and then slide under the top layer, my back barely against the ground before your arms are around me, your head resting against my chest.  Shifting my legs as you bring your thigh over mine, I curve my arm around your back and press my lips against your hair, sliding my eyes closed as I feel you release a contented sigh.

“I didn’t realize how much I’d gotten used to being with you, San.  I haven’t been able to sleep much without being in your arms.”

Smiling into the darkened tent as you tilt your head up to place a small kiss against my throat, I lace my fingers with yours and rest them against my stomach, “You’ll never have to worry about that again, love.  I promise you that no matter what, from this moment on, you’ll always be with me.”

Your sleepy voice teases my ears as you settle closer to my side, “I knew you’d see it my way.  You’ll see…everything will work out tonight.  We’ll all be okay.”

Swallowing hard, I try to keep my body relaxed against yours, my anxiety about what awaits us at Brogan’s Point starting to lose its battle against my fatigue.  Finally letting sleep claim me, I say a quick prayer to whoever might be listening that your words prove true, ignoring the doubt setting up its vigil on the edge of my thoughts.


	11. Brogan's Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Brittany at her side, Santana and her men head into Brogan's Point to search for Declan and bring the traitors to justice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.  
> A/N: Warning: This chapter contains mild violence. I will admit that I copped out a bit in writing a battle scene because I don't think I can do it any justice. (God bless the people who can write cohesive fight scenes. *lol*) But I had to add a little bit to further to story. It's not gory or bloody or even extremely violent but I figured better safe than sorry with the warning.

Pacing the edge of the woods, I keep my eyes glued to the top of the gate, anxiously awaiting the signal from our scout that it can be breached.  Turning to pace the other way, I’m brought up short by you stepping in front of me, a small smile on your face as you pull your hair back into a bun, “San, you need to try and relax.”

“I am relaxed.”

Your smile gets a little wider at that as you reach into the pocket of your pants and pull out another small leather strip, moving to stand behind me and gathering my hair in your hands.  As soon as my own bun is finished, you wrap your arms around my chest from behind, resting your cheek against mine as we both watch the gate, “Finding Declan’s horse was a good thing, sweetheart.  He’d been taken care of so it has to mean that Declan has been healing okay if he was able to care for his horse.”

Bringing my hands up to hold onto your forearms, I let my weight rest a little bit more against you, taking comfort in your solid presence, “I know Robert thinks so and I’m inclined to agree but…where is he, then?  If his horse is here, so close to Brogan’s Point, then that can only mean that he’s made his way into town.  And while I trust Bastian’s assessment that we have allies inside, who knows how long those traitors had been setting this up?  They could have who knows how many men already inside at this point.  Deciding to continue here after the ambush seemed like a spur of the moment choice, but what if they had been planning that all along?”

“Why here though, San?”

“This is the last stronghold before the base of the Kersk Mountains.  If what Victor said holds true and Lucas and Kaitlin and their men are there, capturing Brogan’s Point would be a logical step.  We’d have to pass through here or at least close to here to go after them,” Stepping forward out of your embrace, I resume pacing as my nervous energy forces my legs to keep moving.  Glancing over my shoulder, I watch as Robert and Bastian make last minute preparations with our men and our familiars, selecting which of them will be left behind to guard our horses and supplies. 

Hearing you shuffle behind me, I bring my attention back to you, watching as you fiddle with the belt at your waist, adjusting the sheath holding your knife.  A feel a pang in my chest at the thought of you needing to be armed and your eyes find mine instantly as you sense the emotions roiling around inside me.  Walking towards me, you cup my face in your hands, as my hands find their way to your waist as you speak quietly to me, “I’m choosing to be here, sweetheart.”

“I know, Brittany.  I just…God, I wish you would just stay behind until we’ve secured everything inside.  If you could just…”

“No, Santana.  We talked about this.  I’m by your side, no matter what.”

Pulling you closer, I rest my forehead against yours and close my eyes, “I don’t know what’s worse.  Having you in danger right next to me or not having you with me where I can’t protect you.  I hate this.  So much, I hate this.”

Kissing me gently, you run your thumbs soothingly across my cheeks, tilting my head back with your hands so I can look at you, “I know, baby.  But I’m not completely helpless.  I’ve been doing really well with my lessons with Robert and you said yourself that I’m very brave.”

My heart clenches at the look in your eyes, at the innocence that still resides there despite the horrors you’ve seen, and I feel a wave of despair at the thought that I’m willingly bringing you into this dangerous situation with me.  All I want to do is shield you from all of this and knowing that I can’t is eating me up inside.  I know that no matter how many lessons you’ve had with Robert, you’re not ready.  I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive and there are times when I still don’t feel ready.  Tugging you into a tight embrace, I wrap my arms around your back and keep my lips pressed against your cheek, calming my mind and keeping my worries from you.  Trusting that the same fates that brought you into my life wouldn’t be so capricious to take you from me now, I lean back from the embrace, putting a smile on my face as I drop my hands to adjust your knife sheath myself, “You are so brave, love.  And…we’re going to be fine.”

Accepting another kiss, I lace my fingers with yours as Robert calls out for me to head over to speak with him.  Telling him that I’ll be right there, I face you again and this time the smile comes easier to my face as I feel the wave of love and trust coming from you, “You remember the plan, right?”

“Yes.  Stay between you and Robert, don’t engage unless I really have to, and if you tell me to hide or stay down, I listen to you without hesitation.  Even though I reserve the right to be annoyed that you’re bossing me around.”

“Brittany…”

“I’m kidding,” Your quick smile fades as you straighten your posture and grab my other hand to pull me closer.  “I will do what you asked and listen to you at all times.”

“Promise me.”

Responding to the urgency in my voice, your gaze is serious as you squeeze my hands in yours, “I promise.”

Releasing the breath I was holding, I let my eyes roam across your face, tuning out everything else except you, “I love you, Brittany.”

“I love you too, Santana,” Indulging both of us, you release my hands and grip the back of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss and holding it until Robert clears his throat behind us.  Brushing my fingertips across your cheek, I smile at you as I turn around and make my way to Robert’s side, your thoughts warm and comforting in my mind as you walk past us to go stand next to Bastian and the others.

Smiling at the blush on Robert’s cheeks at our display of affection, I decide to tease him as he gestures for me to follow him, “I know you’re not embarrassed by _that_ , Robert.  Not after last week’s dalliance with our new bar maiden.”

“Ah, Cora still hasn’t let me forget about it.”

“As well she shouldn’t,” Patting Robert’s shoulder, I lean closer and grin as his blush only increases.  “Next time, the furthest stall on the left would be a safer bet.  It’s rarely used and it’s where the fresher hay is stored.”

Laughing at Robert’s mumbled ‘thanks’, I stop walking as he and I reach the edge of the woods, my tone much more series as I hear the noises of everyone getting ready behind me, “Still no word from Cian?”

“None.  He hadn’t passed through our scouts on his way here so I don’t think this was his intended destination when he left camp.”

Knowing that Cian could slip past even the most diligent of scouts if he really wanted to, I can only hope that Robert is right and Cian wasn’t foolish enough to try and do everything on his own.  Not having him here brings a different kind of concern.  Not knowing where he is is worrisome but given the upcoming fight, I know that I need to tuck my worry away for now.  Saying a quick prayer for him, I can only hope that he remain safe so that I could kill him myself for stressing me out like this.

Meeting Robert’s eyes, I gesture towards the town, “Is it time?”

Looking over my shoulder, Robert nods to someone and then faces back towards the gate, raising his arm to point at the torch now burning at the top, “It’s time.”

Taking a deep breath, I turn around and find your eyes immediately, my shoulders relaxing infinitesimally once you are standing between me and Robert.  Glancing around at the group of people gathered behind me, I lift my chin and do my best to project an air of confidence, trusting that this night will turn out in our favor.

Holding tight to our connection, I give you a quick smile before looking at Robert, feeling my eyes change as my teeth click into place.  Despite the danger, I feel the rush of an upcoming battle fire in my veins and meet Robert’s grin with one of my own, “Let’s go get these fuckers.”

 

* * *

 

The initial fighting went quicker than I anticipated.  The traitors’ reinforcements had yet to arrive in full and the ones that were there were dispatched quickly with the element of surprise.  Our scouts had informed us that most of the town had emptied out days ago, fleeing the looming threat of having Lucas and Kaitlin only a few miles from their doorstep.  It made things easier in terms of having fewer innocents to worry about but it freed up many of the homes and structures with places for the traitors to hide.  My men and I had worked our way through most of the town, clearing homes and posting men outside to assure the traitors couldn’t double back. 

Having you close by had proved to be less of a distraction than I had initially thought.  Being able to hear you next to me and know that you were protected by Robert as well had allowed me to concentrate better, swiftly eliminating the reinforcements that we encountered.  Grunting out a breath as another one fell to my blade, I had to acknowledge that fighting to keep you safe gave me greater incentive to push my body and fight harder, to end this sooner rather than later.

Pausing to catch my breath, I lean against the side of a grain mill, your hand automatically coming to rest against my lower back as Robert kept his back to us to protect our flank.  Looking over as Bastian and two of his men ran to a stop next us, I hand them the flask of blood tied to my waist, giving them a moment to gather a bit of strength.  Handing the flask back to me, Bastian gestures to the last two buildings at the edge of town, his eyes sharp in the moonlight as he pushes his sweaty hair off the side of his forehead, “We’ve got the town contained and those that have surrendered have been moved to the town hall and are under guard.  None bear our seal so we believe those that attacked Declan can only be in one of those two places.”

Meeting Robert’s gaze, he nods at me and adjusts his grip on his sword, “I agree, Santana.  They have to be there, unless they’ve somehow managed to escape, in which case we’ll just send out the best trackers after them.  Whether here or somewhere else, they won’t get away with what they did.” 

“Any sign of David?”

Your soft voice sounds behind me and I reach my hand back to grip yours as I keep my eyes focused on the buildings ahead of us, trying to figure out the best way to approach them.  At Bastian’s response in the negative, I feel your confusion over whether to be relieved that David might not have made it to town before the traitors arrived or concern that we may find him as we advance to the end of town.  Knowing we only have a few moments before we have to move again if we have any hopes of keeping the traitors back on their heels, I run my thumb against the back of your hand before releasing it, shifting my weight as I prepare to take off towards the building closest to us.

_He’ll be okay, love._

_I hope so, San._

As we approach the first building, the sounds of a struggle and swords clashing reach our ears.  Seeing the decision in Robert’s eyes before he even verbalizes it, I step to the side as he rushes past me and kicks the door in, the rest of us following through the shattered frame.  I hear Bastian grunt as he engages one of the men off to our side, spinning to my left as I hear Robert’s shout of warning, swinging my sword in a wide arc and deflecting the arrow aimed in your direction.  The archer has enough time to grab another arrow from his quiver before Robert’s sword takes him down.  Your yell of concern sounds behind me and before I can reach back for you, you’re taking off running towards a group of men fighting by one of the side doors.  Looking over quickly, I hear a blonde haired man call out your name at the same time I do.  Sprinting after you, I reach your side just as one of the men fighting your cousin turns and raises his sword towards you.  With a growl, I duck under his sword and drive my shoulder into his chest, sending us both tumbling to the floor.  The need to protect you is hand in hand with my anger that this man would dare raise his sword to you and the fight ends quickly as I let the man’s body slump to the floor, pushing off one knee as I turn to find you.  Breathing a quick sigh of relief at the sight of you in your cousin’s arms, Bastian and his two men at your side, I look around to find Robert dispatching the last of the men and making his way over to us.

Looking down at the slain men around the room, I confirm what Bastian had thought earlier, “These were the men from the ambush.  They still had the cloaks on bearing my seal.  But where is Declan?”

The crash of something breaking sounds towards the back of the building and we all make our way carefully to the back door, Robert and I taking up positions on either side of the exit.  Making sure that you are safe at your cousin’s side, I nod once towards Bastian and rush through the door as soon as he kicks it open, coming to a skidding halt at the sight in front of me.

My relief at seeing Declan is quickly replaced with concern as I watch him reach forward and grab a man by his throat, the man’s bloody fangs glinting in the moonlight.  Raising my hand to urge everyone to stay back, I walk slowly over and circle around until I can see Declan’s face, the sight of his tears prompting me to keep my voice soft and calm, “Declan, put him down.  It’s over now.”

I can see the man in Declan’s grasp roll his eyes to look at me, the desperation in them causing me to reach forward and place my hand on Declan’s forearm, gently urging him to release the man.  Snarling, Declan only tightens his grip and walks forward until the man is pinned against a tall woodpile in the back, finally turning his attention to me, “It’s not over.  He’s the one that killed Sara.  Right in front of me, he…I won’t let him live another minute, Santana.”

Swallowing hard, I glance over and meet your eyes, your tears visible from here.  I watch Bastian and Robert exchange a look before Robert looks over me, giving me a nod, his acceptance of Declan’s wishes granted.  Torn between doing the right thing and giving in to the need for revenge that I can sense so clearly on all those around me, it’s Declan’s broken voice that finally forces me to take a step back.

“Santana, please, you have to let me do this.  For Sara.  He doesn’t deserve mercy, he doesn’t.  He gave her none,” Declan’s eyes, despite his grief, are determined as he looks at me once more.  “You have to let me do this.”

With a small nod, I place my hand on Declan’s shoulder as I pass him, making my way back inside the house only to stop as I realize you’re still standing outside.  Catching Bastian’s eye, I motion for he and his two men to come forward, “Head back to the others and let them know the remaining traitors have been killed.  Separate those we’ve captured so we can question them and then send someone to the woods to get the rest of our men and supplies into town.  Secure places for us to sleep as it will be dawn soon and see all, humans and vampires, fed as soon as everything is settled.”

Dismissing them, I call over Robert and David and gesture to the bodies in the room, “Look through their things and see if you can find any correspondence, any clue as to who they were working for inside our camp.”

David steps closer to me as the sound of a punch rings out from outside, his gaze concerned as he looks between my face and the open door frame, “What about Brittany?  She shouldn’t be out there for that, Santana.”

“I know,” Squeezing his arm in support, I signal Robert to come forward and escort David back towards the main room to begin the task of checking the bodies.  Wiping my hand across my face, I walk back outside, coming to stand next to you as you watch Declan standing over the man, now kneeling to the side of the woodpile.

“You don’t want to watch this, Brittany.”

“I do.”

Grabbing your shoulders, I turn you to face me, shaking my head slowly, “No.  You don’t, love.  Please, come back inside with me.”

Tears slide down your cheeks as you move forward into my embrace, your voice shaky as your arms wrap around my waist, “He deserves to die, Santana.”

Hating that you’re even being exposed to such violence, I can feel my arms trembling as they hold you, adrenaline and my own grief weighing down on me.  Meeting Declan’s eyes over your shoulder, I speak softly to you, pulling you tighter against me, “You don’t need to see it though, sweetheart.  By rights, this for Declan.  We need to let him have this.  Please, come inside with me, okay?”

Sniffling, you pull away and turn your head, looking at Declan as you shift out of my embrace.  He offers you a small smile and I watch you nod your head before grabbing my hand and walking back through the broken door.  With one final look into Declan’s eyes, I turn back and let you lead me through the building, both of us ignoring the sounds of the woodpile crashing to the ground.

 

* * *

 

Two hours later found me shuffling into the basement room you’d claimed for us, exhaustion making my feet feel like stone.  After leaving Declan, we’d gone back to the center of town, parting ways as you helped one of Victor’s men with the horses and supplies and I’d gone with Bastian to see the men that had been captured.  Twelve men in all, some human, some vampire, and all of them shouting in false bravado that Lucas would be coming to save them.  Shaking my head at their ignorance, I’d ordered them all confined to chains and taken to the stockade to be dealt with at a later time.  Robert had set up our base in one of the main dining halls and that’s where you’d found me a short time later, pushing a mug of blood into my hands as you continued past me to go speak with your cousin.  Deciding that our best bet would be to discuss strategy after some rest, I'd given you a kiss to your cheek and sent you off to find a room for us for the day, wanting to check on a few final things before making my way back to you.

Leaning back against the door, I just watch you for a few moments as you light a candle next to the bed before coming to stand before me, your hands gentle as they helped me remove my clothes.  Guiding me to sit on the edge of the bed, you dip a washcloth into a water bucket on the floor, wiping the blood and dirt from my skin in quick and efficient strokes.  Desperate to close my eyes, I grumble good-naturedly when you raise my arms and pull a sleep shirt over my head, pushing me back onto the bed as you move the bucket towards the door.  Climbing over my body, I turn with you so that I’m on my side facing you, the candlelight from behind me illuminating your skin and dancing in the blue of your eyes.

Neither of us speaks for long moments, content to just lay together, your arm around my waist and my hand caressing the side of your face.  Leaning forward to kiss you, I let the familiar taste of your mouth and soothing touch of your hand wash away the final tension from today’s events, relief that we all made it safe and sound making me feel almost lightheaded.  Knowing there was still much to discuss and much to do tomorrow, the least of which was trying to find Cian, I push it all to the side and pull you closer in my arms, tucking your face against my neck as I rest my lips against your hair.  On a long exhale, I let my exhaustion overtake me, finally falling into a dark and dreamless sleep.


	12. When One Door Closes...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After claiming Brogan's Point, hard decisions have to be made and Santana needs Brittany's support now more than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.
> 
> A/N: I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has been reading (I see those views :-D ), commenting, and/or sending me encouraging PMs. I never thought this story would have this many chapters (and there are a good more to go, if what my brain is telling me is right *lol*) and most of it is due to people actually reading it, even if you don't comment, it's very encouraging to see the views go up for each chapter. So, thanks for sticking with me with this story. I'm actually kinda proud of it. :-)

The next night was filled with a combination of mundane activity and intense interrogations of our prisoners.  More of Victor’s men had shown up along with a handful of men that Marcus had sent and between them and us, we’d been able to gather and take stock of supplies and weapons.  Some of our allies that had remained behind in town had opened their homes to us and between the supply buildings and a few of the main halls, all of the men and women in our camp were taken care of.  I’d left the first round of interrogations to Robert and Bastian in the hopes that the traitors might be intimidated by an initial show of strength.  All reports seemed to indicate that the prisoners were banding together in their refusal to answer any of our questions and I’d been hearing reports of the growing frustration in the stockade.

“Fuckers...”

Looking up from the map, I cross my arms over my chest as Robert makes his way over to me, throwing himself back into an abandoned chair with a growl.  Waiting a few seconds to see if he would elaborate, I grab a stool and go sit next to him, accepting two mugs of whiskey from you with a smile.  Handing one of the mugs to Robert, I lean into your side as you drape your arm around my shoulder, “I take it they aren’t talking yet?”

“If by talking you mean telling us what we want to know, then no.  But if by talking you mean incessant babbling about how it’s only a matter of time before Lucas’ vengeance sweeps down from the mountain and destroys us?  Then yes, we’ve been having grand old conversations.”

Finishing my mug as Robert grumbles into his drink, I tap my fingers against the cup and try to think of what we should do next.  Your fingers have taken to kneading the back of my neck lightly and I turn my head, your eyes calm as you glance down when I speak to you, “Brittany, what do you suggest?”

“Me?  Oh well, Santana…I don’t know anything about questioning prisoners.”

“No,” Standing, I place my mug on the table and face you, smiling to ease the discomfort I can feel coming from you.  “But, you know how to talk to people.  Force and threats don’t seem to be working.  Beating answers out of them isn’t the solution.”

“Give me a few more turns and we’ll see.”

Glaring back at Robert’s interruption, I snatch his mug away when he goes to take another sip of whiskey, downing the rest of it at his huff of annoyance.  Waiting until he leans back in the chair with a mumbled ‘sorry’, I look back at you with an encouraging smile, “Sometimes an outside perspective can help.  What do you think?”

Moving to lean against the table, you look down at your hands as I sit back on the stool, reaching out to kick at Robert’s foot so he’ll sit up straight while you answer.  I can see you biting the corner of your lip as an idea forms, the edge of your thoughts teasing into my mind as you look first at me and then at Robert, “This is going to sound horrible.”

Smiling at you, Robert jerks his thumb over his shoulder towards the direction of the stockade, shrugging his shoulders as he encourages you, “Trust me.  It can’t possibly be any worse than having to listen to their blind faith in that bastard Lucas.  Like he gives two shits about them now.”

“I was just thinking, I mean…if they aren’t scared to be here because they think that Lucas will come and save them, why not put them in a situation where he can’t come save them?”

“How do you mean, love?”

“What did Cian say about the Royal Family?  Tie them up and toss them out into the Sun?”

Robert’s snort of laughter draws my gaze and I wave him off, reaching for your hand to get you to look at me, “What are you suggesting?”

Brushing your hair over one shoulder, you look out the window towards the courtyard before answering me, “Why not tie them to posts in the middle of town before sunrise?  Lucas is bound like us by the night so he wouldn’t be able to do anything and they’ll know that.  If they want to be spared, they’ll talk and if not, they aren’t talking anyway so…”

I feel my brow furrow at your almost casual mention of their probable deaths in that scenario, my heart aching a little at what this fighting might be doing to you.  My unease is interrupted by Robert standing up with a big grin on his face, clapping you hard enough on the shoulder to knock you away from the table, “That’s a brilliant idea.  Brittany, you’re a genius.  I’ll go speak with Bastian about it now.”

Giving myself a few moments to mull over what you suggested, I move to the table and roll up the map, refilling the whiskey in my mug and taking a sip as you come to stand next to me, “What is it, San?”

“It’s nothing.”

Running your hand along my back, you take the mug from my hands and take a sip, smiling as I laugh lightly at your cough as the whiskey burns your throat.  Reclaiming my mug, I finish the final sip and place it on the table, reaching up to wipe at an errant drop on your bottom lip, “Easy with that, sweetheart.  That’s not the honey mead you’re used to.”

“I don’t know how you guys drink that stuff.”

Leaning forward to kiss your cheek, I hold your hand and lead you out of the main hall, nodding at the guards stationed at the entrance.  Lacing our fingers together, I lead us away from the hustle and bustle going on in the center of town, purposely walking in the opposite direction of the stockade.  Taking a deep breath, I try to imagine that we are simply on a moonlight stroll and not about to embark on a most dangerous endeavor.  Cresting the top of a small hill, I stop and lean back against a low fence, kissing the back of your hand before pulling you stand between my legs, your arms going around my waist without hesitation.  Content to just hold you, I wrap my arms around your shoulders, closing my eyes as your lips rest lightly against the side of my neck.  For a few minutes, I clear my mind of all my worries and simply open myself to our connection, your love washing over me like warm water.  I feel the sudden urge to cry and your arms tighten around my waist, your lips moving to my cheek as you whisper softly, “It’s okay, baby.  You’re okay.”

The tears come then, sobs escaping my lips where they are buried against your shoulder, my hands clinging to fistfuls of your shirt.  I can feel your own sadness at my tears but you keep your hands moving soothingly across my back, humming a tune I don’t recognize as you let me cry against you.  Being held by you, I can finally let some of this emotion break, all the guilt over leaving you…all the fear over what we might find once we entered Brogan’s Point…the sorrow over taking lives even if it was to save others…the worry over Cian’s continued absence.  It all rushes out in hot tears and labored breath for long minutes until I feel a creeping tiredness sink into my body.  Pulling back from your embrace, I wipe my hands across my face, sniffling and trying to take even breaths as I let the last of my tears fall.  Looking up, I see your own tears reflected in the moonlight and I reach my fingers up to brush them away from your cheeks, pulling you forward into a gentle kiss.  Leaning back, I keep my hands cupped around your jaw as your own hands find their way to the back of my neck, returning your small smile as you brush your fingers through my sweaty hair, “Everything is going to be okay, San.”

Looking into your blue eyes, I want so much to believe in the simplicity of your words but I feel my anxiety grow again as I remember the conversation we just had with Robert, your words mixing with the image of you standing on the edge of battle with a knife at your hip.  Pulling you closer, I close my eyes as I rest my forehead against yours, my voice breaking as I give voice to my fears, “I want to believe you, Brittany.  I want to believe in that but it’s tearing me up that you have to be exposed to this.  There’s innocence in you, love.  And I can see it being chipped away at the longer this goes on and it’s killing me.”

Tightening your fingers, you pull back so I can look at you, your gaze intense as you respond to me, “You didn’t expose me to this, Santana.”

“How can you say that?”

“Lucas did.  The night he came and killed my family and destroyed everything I knew,” Sliding your hands over my shoulders, you reach one hand down and pull out the pendant under my shirt before reaching for your own and holding it between us.  “You saved me.  The night I came to your inn, you could have so easily just turned me away, but you didn’t.  You didn’t and because of that, I have an eternity to spend with the person I love at my side.  What you gave me was a gift and I am grateful for that every day.”

Helpless against the truth of your words, I tug you forward into a desperate kiss, chasing the tears I can still taste on your lips with my tongue.  As you shift the angle of the kiss, I can feel your love brushing against the sharp edges of my guilt, smoothing them down until they no longer ache.  Gently pulling back, I greet your smile with one of my own, accepting your kiss to my palm with a contented sigh, “I promise I will get us through this, Brittany.  I will protect you and keep you safe and I will spend every day being worthy of your love.  The night you came into my inn changed my life and I will do everything in my power to see that our life together is long and happy.”

“And we’ll never grow old.”

Laughing through a few final tears, I kiss the tip of your nose, “No, love.  We’ll never grow old.”

Growing serious again, you brush my hair back from my face, your eyes flicking between mine as you speak, “I know it bothered you what I said before, my suggestion to Robert.”

Averting my gaze, I look back up at you as you gently press your fingers under my chin.  Shrugging my shoulders, I let out a small sigh as I force myself to hold your gaze, “It’s not the suggestion itself.  Given what we are dealing with, it’s a good tact to try it’s just…I don’t like that you’re in a position to have to think of things like that.”

“I’m not as innocent as you think I am.  Not after these last few months and especially not after this last week.”

“I know that.  I do.” Dropping my hands to rest against your lower back, I let my eyes trace the whorls of your pendant before looking back at you, “I just want to protect you from as much as I can.  Maybe that makes me old-fashioned and if so, I’ll accept that.”

Smiling, you lean forward and press a kiss to the corner of my mouth, nuzzling against my cheek until I smile back at you.  Reaching up, you tuck my pendant back inside my shirt and leave your hands resting against the top of my chest, your eyes bright in the moonlight as you grin at me, “I love that you’re old-fashioned.  Opening doors for me, always letting me bathe while the water is at its warmest, trying to make sure you give me pleasure first…”

When your voice drops at that last statement, I feel the blush burn across my cheeks as you laugh, pulling me in for a quick hug before stepping back and taking my hands in yours.  Nodding back towards the center of town, your voice is soft as you squeeze my hands, “What do you say?  Are you ready to head back?”

Looking down the hill, I can see the torches being lit as the activity around the stockade starts to pick up.  Pulling you forward, I let go of your hands and slide my hands around your back, tucking your body between my hips as I lean my weight back against the fence, “Um, do you think we could stay here for just a few minutes longer?”

With an understanding smile, you nod your head and sink into my embrace, resting your cheek against my shoulder as I close my eyes and hold you close to me.

 

* * *

 

After returning from the hill, I’d forced myself to head to the stockade and speak with Robert, leaving you to go back to the main hall and see about getting us dinner.  Heading down the stairs, I slowly take the last few steps, the tension in the room forcing the ochre into my eyes, my teeth clicking down into a snarl as the prisoner closest to me snaps his teeth in my direction.  A quick backhand from one of Victor’s men forces him back towards the wall but I can feel his hateful eyes following me as I make my way over to where Robert is speaking with Bastian.

“Are they still not talking?”

Bastian gives a disgusted glance to where the prisoners are gathered before shaking his head in the negative.

Looking at Robert, I gesture to the lengths of rope in his hand, “Have you explained to them what is to happen in a few hours?”

“Not yet but I was about to.”

“I’ll do it.”

At Robert’s nod, I turn and face the men gathered in chains against the wall of the stockade.  Meeting each of their eyes in turn, I incline my head towards them as I raise my voice loud enough so they will all be able to hear me, “I take it you all know who I am.”

“Weak whore to the humans.  Lucas is going to destroy you and I can’t wait to see it.”

Slowly looking over to the man who spoke, I tuck my hands into my pockets and smile at him, “I am nobody’s whore.”

A sharp laugh draws my attention and I walk over to a bearded man, who meets my stare with a twisted grin, “Oh, we know all about you, whore.  Protecting the humans when all they should be used for is food and sport.  And pleasure, of course.  But I guess you would know all about that, with that blonde bitch you took for your own.  Lucas has special plans for her.”

Holding my hand out at my side, I stop Robert from advancing on the one who spoke, taking a few calming breaths before stepping closer to the prisoner, “I should drive a stake through your heart right now for that.”

“Do it, bitch.  There are a hundred more just like me.  You can’t stop us all.”

Grinning at the man, I spin away from him and pick up one of the lengths of rope before moving to stand in front of the center of the group, “Maybe not.  But for now, you twelve will have to do.  You have three hours to decide if you want to talk.  If you don’t give us the information we are looking for, you will be tied to the posts outside and left there at sunrise.”  Throwing the rope to the ground, I meet each of their eyes before moving to head up the stairs, “See if Lucas will save you then.”

Stepping out of the stockade, I take a deep inhale of the cool night air, forcing myself to relax and keeping my eyes closed until they change back, my teeth sliding back into place just as I become aware of your stare.  Opening my eyes, I see you standing outside the main hall, waiting for me as two of Bastian’s men talk around you.

_Are you okay?_

_Yes, love._

_Come inside…have dinner with me.  And save me from this boring discussion about cattle feed._

Smiling as I watch you excuse yourself and head into the main hall, I wave to Bastian’s men as I hurry past them, laughing as I hear the tail end of their conversation.  Hurrying forward, I snag your hand before we enter the main room, kissing your fingers as I lead us over to one of the dining tables, “What?  Don’t you want to know which grain holds up better in colder climates?”

Releasing your hand with a grin as you roll your eyes, I reach forward and pull one of the chairs back, placing a kiss to the top of your head as you sit down.  Moving to sit across from you, I grab the pitcher of heated blood and pour each of us a glass, waiting until you take your first sip before bringing mine to my lips.  Placing my hand on the table in front of you for you to hold, I watch you look thoughtfully at the pitcher before looking back at me, “San, do you ever miss eating food?”

“Sometimes.  Why?  Do you?”

“Yes,” Looking across the room to where some of our familiars were eating their dinner, you glance down at the blood in your mug with a small shrug.  “I know that we can eat their food, if needed, for appearances and stuff.  Even though we might as well be eating our pillow stuffing for how bland it tastes.  I don’t know.  Sometimes I just miss having all those options when you sit down at a table, you know?”

“I do,” Running my fingers across the back of your hand, I take a sip of blood before putting the mug down so I can hold your hand with both of mine.  “There are other ways of getting the blood we need other than just drinking from mugs or feeding from familiars.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Smiling at you, I let go of your hand and reach over for the pitcher, refilling both of our glasses as you run your thumb over my knuckles.  “Tell you what, once we are back home, we’ll spend a whole night experimenting to find the ways you like best.  How does that sound?”

“That sounds awesome, San.  Do you think we could…”

Turning around at the sound of raised voices, I let go of your hand and stand, taking a few steps towards the entrance before I’m brought up short by the sight of a familiar face walking through the door, “Cian?”

The anger I expected to feel crumbles at the first sign of his dimples as he smiles tentatively at me, bending at the waist in a bow, “Santana.”

Walking forward, I pull him up by his shoulders, watching as his smile gets a little wider when he spots you over my shoulder.  Feeling his solid form beneath my hands, I give in to my relief and pull him into a hug, closing my eyes as he presses a kiss against my temple.  Stepping away as he lets me go to pull you into a hug, my eyes are drawn to the doorway where Robert is speaking with a raven-haired woman I don’t recognize.

Meeting Cian’s eyes as he appears at my side, I reach back and punch him squarely in the shoulder, ignoring your whispered admonishment as I poke Cian in the chest with my finger, “If you ever leave again like that, without telling me where you’re off to, I swear I will kill you.  Do you understand?”

Grinning as he rubs his shoulder, Cian’s eyes are soft as he reaches his other hand to hold onto my fist, “Yes, Mistress.  Death next time.  I got it.”

“Cian, I’m being serious.  Do you have any idea the kind of grief you’ve given me these past few days?  Not knowing where you were, if you were okay, if I’d even see you again…”

At that, Cian stops rubbing his shoulder, stepping closer to me as his face gets serious, “Santana, I never meant to scare you like that.  I was angry when I left but I should have sent word.  For that, I am truly sorry.  You know you mean the world to me, darling.  I hope you can forgive me.”

“Cian, where have you been?”

Before he can answer me, Robert approaches with the woman at his side, coming to stand next to you as you step closer to me.  Watching as Cian gestures for her to approach, I square my shoulders and nod my head in her direction, “Who is this?”

Instead of answering, Cian reaches into his vest pocket, withdrawing a folded letter and handing it to me.  Still looking at the woman, I take the letter but hold it unopened in my hand, arching my eyebrow as she calmly looks back me, “Who are you?”

“Rebekkah, Mistress.”

“What are you doing here?”  Glancing at Cian as he points at the letter, I feel my irritation spike as neither the woman nor Cian answers my question.  Your hand settles against my back and I force myself to take a calming breath, finally looking down at the paper in my hand, “What is this?”

“A letter.”

“I can see that, Cian.  Who is it from?”

Cian looks to the woman first, her eyes still holding mine, before he faces me again, clearing his throat before answering me, “It’s from your father.”

 


	13. Family Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forced to deal with Cian's meddling, Santana opens up to Brittany about her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

“You went to see my father?”  I can feel the anger swell up inside of me as I take a step towards Cian, tossing the letter to the floor at his feet.  “After I explicitly told you that I didn’t want him contacted?”

“Santana, if you would just hear me out…”

“No!”  Low laughter reaches my ears as our familiars continue with their dinner, unaware of the tension going on near them.  “You had no right interfering in something that is none of your business.  I told you that my father couldn’t help.”

“You were wrong.”

Growling low in my throat, I feel your hand curve around my elbow as I take another step closer to Cian, your voice calm in my mind as you encourage me to ease back.  Relaxing my arm in your grasp, I watch as Cian bends down to retrieve the letter, holding it out to me once more.  Ignoring him, I turn my attention to the woman at his side, her calm presence serving only to irritate me more, “I think it’s wise if you tell me who are you now.”

“I think you should read your father’s letter, Mistress.”

“And I think you should fuck off so why don’t we see who does what first?”

I see you reach to take the letter from Cian’s hand as your other hand starts to guide me away from him, your voice soothing as you speak to me, “Santana, I think we should go somewhere and take a look at this letter, okay?”

Yanking my arm from your grasp, I scowl at you over my shoulder as I raise my voice loud enough to be heard over the new influx of people entering the dining area for their evening meal, “I don’t need to be handled like I’m a child.”

“Then stop acting like one,” Stepping in front of me when I would have headed back towards Cian, you press the letter into my hand.  Your gaze is steady as you discretely rub your thumb against the back of my hand, lowering your voice as you plead with me, “Santana, let’s at least see what the letter says first and then we can come back and speak with Cian.  Don’t you want to see what it says?”

Breaking your gaze, I glare at Cian over your shoulder, pointedly ignoring Rebekkah as she looks at me.  Letting out a deep exhale, I squeeze your hand and give a small nod, stepping to the side to address Robert, “See that they are fed and then find somewhere for them to stay.”  Angling my body towards Cian, I keep my scowl in place as I hold the letter up for him to see, “You better have had a damn good reason for going behind my back, Cian.”

“Santana, please…just read the letter and you’ll understand.  Come find me when you’re done and we can talk some more, okay?”

“Fine.”

With one last glare, I turn away and head towards the stairs in the back, heading up to one of the abandoned rooms above, the letter weighing heavy in my hand as you follow behind me.

 

* * *

 

To your credit, you let me pace the room for a few minutes as you stand quietly by the window, the letter sitting unopened on the table in the corner.  As I make another pass in front of you, you reach out and grab my waist, yanking me into your body as your other hand cups the back of my head.  I have a moment to breathe in and then your mouth is covering mine, desire sharp and hot flaring to life inside my body as your tongue ravages mine.  Pushing forward, I respond to your kiss by pinning you against the ledge of the window, my hands gripping your hips helplessly as you suck none-to-gently on my tongue.  Groaning as you pull away from the kiss, I lick my lips slowly as you smile at me, your fingertips trailing lightly against the side of my neck, “What was that for?”

Dropping your hands to hold onto my forearms, you lean forward and press another soft kiss to my mouth before answering me, “Just a distraction.  I’m trying to relax you.”

Pressing my hips playfully against yours, I return your smile as I clear the huskiness from my voice, “I’m not sure relaxed is the word I’d use right now.”

“Distracted at least?”

Sighing a bit, I squeeze your hips once before slowly making my way back to the table, picking up the letter and going to stand next to you at the window.  Tracing my finger over my father’s seal on the paper, I turn my head and meet your curious gaze as you brace your arm behind me on the ledge, letting me rest some of my weight against you as you nod your chin towards the letter, “You’ve never told me anything about your father, Santana.  Or your mother.”

“My mother died when I was very young.  An illness struck the village where I was born and while it spared my father and me, my mother succumbed after only a few days of being sick.”

Pressing a kiss against my shoulder, you keep your cheek resting there as you glance down at the letter, “I’m so sorry, San.”

“It’s been so long…sometimes it feels as if she was only a figment of my imagination, you know?  But those that knew my mother told me when I was growing up that I have her smile and her laugh and I’ve found comfort in that over the years.  Anyway, a little while after she passed, my father took a job as innkeeper a few towns over and that’s where we met Vero.  She was already the head cook there, even though she was barely out of her teens, if you can believe it.  Vero was like a big sister to me and, after I turned, she eventually became a mother figure to me.  Saying that out loud, I’m sure that probably sounds a little odd to you.”

I can feel you smile against my shoulder as you shake your head, “A little bit but it makes sense as to why you two are so close.  Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“How old are you?”

Turning my head, I press my lips against your forehead, smiling at your question, “Do you mean when I was turned or technically how old am I?”

“Both.”

Lifting my head as you lean back to look at me, I answer you, “I was 26 when I was turned so that’s how old I really am.  But technically, I’m 72 years old.  How does it feel to be with an older woman, Brittany?”

Grinning, you push up on your hand and kiss my cheek, running your nose against my jawline before pulling back to look at me, “It’s hot.  But you’re really only 2 years older than me so you shouldn’t feel so bad about corrupting me.”

Laughing at that, I bump my shoulder against you before glancing down at the letter, my demeanor growing serious as turn the letter over in my hand, “My father…we have a bit of a complicated history.  Shortly after I turned 26, he was offered a position with the Royal Family as a consultant.  Not that I knew who the Royal Family really was at the time, of course.  Over the years of running the inn, my father had any number of influential people pass through the doors and he had a way with them, I guess.  I didn’t really pay it any mind since all I really wanted to do was spend time with my friends instead of having to work at the inn all the time.  But, his actions caught the attention of the Royal Family and they sent a request for him to travel to their land to discuss working for them.”

“What happened when he left?”

Smiling ruefully, I take your hand and lead you over to the table, sitting with my back against the wall as you sit across from me.  Putting the letter on the table between us, I rest my elbows on the table and continue my story, “I had more freedom to sneak away from the inn, for one.  I gave Vero many headaches over those first few weeks he was gone, running around with Robert and Declan, among a few others.”

“You’ve known them that long?”

“Robert was one of the first friends I made when my father first took over the inn.  His father was the blacksmith and they always came in for a late supper after the fires were banked for the night.  Robert’s mother had died in childbirth so we kind of bonded over losing our mothers early.  Declan was a skinny thing when he first moved to town and we kind of picked on him at first when he and his family would come around.  It was all good-natured of course, but still.  Thinking back on some of the pranks that Robert and I pulled on him, it’s a wonder we all stayed friends as long as we did.  But he was a master with horses, even back then, and you had to respect that.  It wasn’t long before the three of us were inseparable.  And incorrigible, if I’m being honest.”

Smiling, you prop your head on your hand and reach your other hand forward to run your fingers along the inside of my wrist, “I can only imagine the kind of trouble you guys must have gotten into.  I would have loved to have known you then.  Do you think we would have been friends?”

I turn your hand over and hold it, leaning closer to you as I match your posture and rest my chin on my hand, “I’d like to think so.  At least, we would have been friends for a little while.”

“Why only a little while?”

“I don’t think it would have taken me very long to find a reason to get you alone and ply you with sweet kisses, hoping to see what was under the pretty dresses I’m sure you wore.”

Blushing, you duck your head, smiling as I lean over the table to brush my fingers against your warm cheek.  Returning my smile, you capture my hand and lace our fingers together between us on the table, “I might have just let you.”

“Well, as long as you let me now…”

I grin as you playfully roll your eyes, looking down as your wrist brushes against the letter still unopened on the table.  Clearing my throat, I look back up and meet your eyes, gently releasing your hand as I pick the letter up and tap it a few times against the table, “Anyway, like I said, at first I didn’t really mind that he had left to see about their request.  But when two weeks turned into a month and then that turned into two months with only the occasional letter arriving, I started to worry.  Finally, a letter arrived telling me that he was going to be remaining permanently with the Royal Family and that the inn was now in my name.  I was inconsolable for days, feeling abandoned and angry.   Robert and I had begun making plans to sneak away to try and go see my father but somehow, he found out about our plans.  To this day, I still don’t know how he found out.  The night before Robert and I had decided to leave, he suddenly appeared at the inn.  I was so relieved to see him, Brittany.  I don’t think I let him out of my sight the entire time he was making the rounds at the inn greeting everyone.”

“Did you he tell you why accepted a permanent position with them?  Or why he came back?”

Nodding my head, I place the letter back down on the table, feeling the urge to start pacing again as I think about revealing the rest of the story.  Leaning back against the wall, I take a deep breath and close my eyes briefly, forcing myself to relax as I look at you and tell you about that night, “Later that night, after speaking with Vero, he asked me to take a walk with him like we used to do when I was little.  On that walk, he broke down and told me everything…he told me who the Royal Family really was, what they were.  I was so scared and confused and I remember begging him to stay home now, to not go back to that place.  He just smiled sadly and told me he couldn’t.  He was bound to them now.  And that’s when he changed.”

At your low gasp of surprise, I shrug my shoulders and continue my story, “I think I ran away from him at first though I can’t really remember since it’s been so long.  He was so fast and he just stepped back in front of me and when I looked up, he was crying and begging me not to be afraid of him.  I started crying and then I just hugged him for the longest time.  After I calmed down a little bit, I had so many questions for him but he said he didn’t have much time.  I didn’t realize it at that moment but he had snuck away to come see Vero and I and he told me that he only had a few hours before he had to be back on their land or they would know that he had gone.”

“Did you get to ask him why he was a vampire?”

“It was the first thing I asked him.  He told me that it was the only way to protect us, to protect the town he’d grown to love.  The Royal Family was expanding their influence and their reach and our town sat directly in their path.  At the time, the only choice you were given was to join them or die and they couldn’t care less which option was chosen.  My father offered to sacrifice himself and serve them if they would only leave our town as it was.  They accepted his offer with false promises, he said.  Placating him by allowing correspondence to be sent between him and I, along with other letters sent to make it seem as if all was well in the town.  A few days before he came home, he overheard two of the members of the Royal Family talking about a plan to move on our town, that the ruse with my father was growing old.”

You reach down to stop the nervous tapping of my fingers against the letter, holding my hand in yours as you shift against the bench and lean closer to me, “He snuck away to warn you.”

Nodding my head, I keep my gaze focused on our hands, drawing comfort from your touch, “Yes.  He told me we had maybe three days at most to gather our things and flee.  He had done all he could to protect us but he knew that we wouldn’t be a match for the men that would be descending on our town.  He told me he had already spoken to Vero and that things were already in motion and that we would be safe where she would be taking us.  I still had so many questions but I could sense that he was getting anxious to leave.  He told me that once we were safe, he send word again to Vero and that he would try to see us again.  He apologized, over and over, for being foolish enough to trust the Royal Family and he hoped that I could forgive him.  I was overwhelmed and all I could do was hold onto him for as long as I could before he gave me a kiss on the cheek, told me to be safe and that he loved me, and then he was gone.”

“What did you do?”

“I rushed back to town and spent the next hour crying in Vero’s arms and listening to her talk down Robert from staying back and fighting.  We spent the rest of that night and most of the morning getting things together, using our inn as a base for the townspeople to coordinate and prepare.”

Pausing here, I stand up from the table and make my way back over to the window, leaning my hands on the ledge and looking out into the night.  Listening as you get up and come to stand at my side, I keep my eyes looking over the dark woods as I tell you the rest, “I often wonder what might have happened if we’d only left a little sooner.  Spent less time on trying to make sure we brought everything with us, if we had just had more urgency when speaking with the townspeople.  But, we thought we had at least three days and it seemed like plenty of time.  We were fools.”

I see you out of the corner of my eye turn and face the window, your hand next to mine but not touching as you quietly encourage me to continue.

“The Royal Family had found out that he had traveled home against their wishes and so they had dispatched some of their foot soldiers to attack the inn first, to teach my father a lesson.  He was too valuable to them and so they couldn’t hurt him physically, but they knew attacking the inn would be punishment enough.  Luckily, my father had been able to get a message to Duncan, who had become one of his closest friends and allies.  It hadn’t quite been in time though and by the time Duncan arrived, we were already under attack.  Duncan found me beaten and cornered in the back room with four vampire soldiers about to do God knows what to me.  Most of that night is a blur but the last clear thing I did remember was looking up from the floor as Duncan scooped me up and carried me away from the inn, stepping over the bodies of the soldiers that were in that room with me.  I awoke three days later at a campsite in the woods, Duncan and another young man sitting across from me.”

Pressing my hip against the ledge, I turn and face you, nodding my head at your question, “Yes, it was Cian.  He had been Duncan’s page at one time and then became his personal bodyguard, of sorts.  Duncan trusted Cian to come with him on my father’s orders and from what I found out in the coming weeks, Cian was the reason some of the townspeople were able to escape.”

Interrupting me, you cock your head to the side, your voice curious as you speak, “Wait, you said you woke up three days later?  Does that mean…”

“Yes, that’s when Duncan turned me.  I was half dead from my injuries when he and Cian finally cleared the town limits and escaped to the woods.  Duncan wasn’t sure I would make it through the night and he knew my father would be devastated if he felt like he had caused my death by sneaking into town to warn us.  So, he changed me.”

“Were you mad?”

“That I was changed without given a choice?”

“Yes.”

“No…I don’t know.  Not really, I suppose,” Leaning my head back, I roll my shoulders, slumping down against the ledge as I look back at you.  “Duncan saved my life, in a way.  The only thing I really remember feeling was confusion.  And hunger.  And a desperate need to get back to town to see who was still alive.  I had to be restrained for that first night.  All I wanted to do was run back to town but it was almost sunrise so we had to hide out until night time.  As soon as it was safe to move, I tried to run and it took Cian tackling me and pinning me down to get me to calm down.  Duncan and Cian gave me a crash course in vampire basics with the promise that we would go to town the next night.  And we did.”

Pushing away from the window, I resume pacing again, the memory of that first night back still bringing with it heavy heartache.  Tying my hair back as I tell you the rest, I keep my eyes on the floor in front of me as I walk back and forth in front of you, “The soldiers were gone by the time we arrived and the townspeople that had survived were busy burying the dead and working on trying to repair the damage to all the buildings.  I sprinted to the inn, fearing what I would find.  Everyone that had worked there was gone.  They had slaughtered all but Vero, sparing her so that she may serve as warning to any of the survivors that thought to resist the Royal Family again.  I was so relieved to see her that I ran straight to her, hugging her to me without realizing that in my heightened state, my eyes had changed to their ochre color.  It was Robert’s exclamation as he came from inside the kitchen that made me realize that I was changed in front of them.”

“What did Vero say?”

“Nothing, she just pulled me in for another hug, hushing Robert over her shoulder.  My father had already spoken to her about what he had become and I think maybe, at the time, she thought that he had changed me himself.  A few minutes later Duncan and Cian came into the inn and we spent the rest of that night talking about what had happened and trying to put the inn back together.  Duncan left about a little less than a week later, leaving the rest of my training to Cian.”

Reaching forward, you grab onto my wrist, stopping my pacing as you pull me in front of you, “How could he just leave you, after everything that happened?”

“He had no choice.  The mission that he was on for the Royal Family was only supposed to take a little over a week.  If he delayed any longer, he risked not only his life but my father’s life.  Besides, Cian was a very good teacher and he turned out to be invaluable in helping Vero and I get the inn back and running again.”

“I don’t understand though, San.  If the point of attacking the inn and your village was to punish your father, why would they let everything return to normal?  Why not come and just take everything over for themselves?”

Sighing, I shrug my shoulders and pull your hand, walking you back to the table, resuming my seat across from you, “I don’t know.  My father, in all these years, has never given me a straight answer.  I know he promised them something but he’s never told me what.  Whatever it was has taken him away from me for all these years and other than correspondence through the occasional letter, we haven’t really spoken much about it.”

Folding your arms across your chest, you look down at the letter and then back up at me, “Is that why you couldn’t go to him when things with Lucas got really bad?”

“In a way.  If the Royal Family isn’t stepping in, then that means my father can’t intervene.  I know he has been doing things to protect us over the years and I don’t want him put in danger by trying to draw him into this.  Cian knows this which is why I don’t understand how he could disobey me and reach out to my father, especially now that Lucas has aligned himself with Kaitlin.”

Picking up the letter, I watch as you look at my father’s seal, understanding dawning on your face as your eyes drop to my chest, “Your father’s seal, that’s the same design as…”

“As the pendants we wear, yes,” Pulling the necklace free of my shirt, I look down at the pendant, pressing my thumb against the whorls there as I look back up at you.  “The night my father returned to town, he gave them to me to keep.  They were his and my mother’s.  I thought they were lost when the soldiers attacked the inn but I found them a few days after I was back, inside my desk that had been smashed.”

Rising up over the top of the table, I lean forward and press a kiss to your cheek, kissing an errant tear that had fallen while I was speaking.  Tucking my necklace back under my shirt, I place my hands in yours as you turn your palms up and rest them on the table.  Inhaling deeply, you blow out a breath and move my hand to rest upon the letter, holding tighter to my fingers when I reach for the letter, “San, can I ask you one more question before you open this?”

“Sure, love.  What is it?”

“Robert and Declan…did you turn them?”

Smiling genuinely at the memory, I nod my head in the affirmative, gently removing my hand from yours to pick up the letter, “I did, about a year after everything happened.  They asked me to, right away.  They wanted to be stronger and faster so they could fight better the next time something happened but I still wasn’t sure of my control and didn’t want to hurt them.  I told them to ask Cian but they said that they had already spoken to him, had already had an understanding of what it meant to sire someone.  Growing up together, after everything we had been through, they wanted that bond to be with me.  I knew what they would be giving up so I made them wait a year and if they still wanted to after the year was over, then I would turn them.”

“That’s very sweet, Santana.”

“At the time, even making them wait a year, I was being selfish.  I wanted my friends with me, as they were, so I wouldn’t be alone as all the others around me grew older.  I found out, over the years, that turning them was one of the best decisions I could have ever made and I am thankful that all these years later, the three of us are still together.”

Kissing my hand, you hold my palm against your cheek, your voice soft as you speak to me, “Thank you for telling me all this.”

“I should have told you some of it sooner.  I’m sorry for that.”

Clucking your tongue, you shake your head slowly and smile at me, “There’s nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart.  I’m glad you’re telling me now.”  Releasing my hand, you sit up straighter on the bench and point to the letter, your face serious as you look between me and the letter, “Are you ready to open it?”

I feel a nervous flutter as I place the letter down flat on the table, smiling reassuringly at you when I realize it’s your nervousness I’m feeling.  Taking a steadying breath, I slide my finger under the red wax and break the seal.  Meeting your eyes quickly, I unfold the letter and smooth it down with my hand, accepting your gentle touch as I begin to read the words out loud.


	14. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana deals with the ramifications of the details of her father's letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

_My Dearest Santana,_

_Please do not be mad at Cian.  I have no doubts that he has likely caught quite the earful from you but I ask you not to take your anger out on him.  He loves you and was only doing what he thought was right.  If you should be angry at anybody, that anger should be directed at me.  You cannot imagine how hard it has been to have to sit by these past few years, as Lucas’ violence laps ever closer at your feet while the binds of my servitude kept me tethered far from you.  You are never far from my thoughts, dear one, and I can only hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me._

_Things are changing here.  Like a mold, there is a darkness spreading within the foundation of the Royal Family.   I have come to understand that Lucas and Kaitlin’s actions aren’t as unknown to the Royal Family as they would like everyone to believe.  There are some of us here trying to chip away at this weakness, to try and break the power the Family holds.  Until now, it has been a precarious position and as such, I have been unable to provide you with direct support.  Though I know you would never ask as you think you would be putting me at risk by seeking me out.  It is I who put you at risk so many years ago and it is far past due time to try and make things right._

_When Cian told me of your position and your plans at Brogan’s Point, so close to where Lucas and Kaitlin are situated, I knew that my window of opportunity was slim and I needed to take advantage of it.  I believe the timing is a gift from the Fates you are so fond of referencing and I can only hope that you accept my gift with their blessing._

_I have sent you a weapon in the form of a woman, Santana.  I have sent you Rebekkah…Kaitlin’s half-sister.  She’s been held captive by the Royal Family for many years.  Some of my best men sacrificed their lives to facilitate her escape and it won’t be long before her absence will be noted.  She is the only one that can match Kaitlin’s power and if there is any hope of bringing this reign of violence and fear to an end, she will be the key to unlocking that opportunity._

_It pains me to know that I cannot be there with you but know that I am doing everything I can to bring this Royal House down around the Family’s feet.  I failed to protect you once before and I won’t allow that to happen again._

_I look forward to the night when I can see you again.  I pray that the Fates are on our side and I pray for your strength and your will to prevail.  I see so much of your mother in you, Santana.  She would be so proud of you, as I am proud of you._

_Stay safe and be well, my sweetheart.  I love you with all that I am and I will see you soon…_

Tracing my fingers over the words on the letter, I eventually become aware that you’ve come to sit next to me on the bench, your lips pressed against my shoulder as your arm wraps around my waist.  Folding the letter and putting it into my pocket, I turn and face you, neither of us speaking for a few moments while I try to process everything I just read.  Taking a deep breath, I look over at the door before clearing my throat to speak to you, “I can’t believe it.  All this time…trying to protect him and he’s been the one protecting me.  The things he said about the Royal Family, Brittany.  I don’t even know how to process that.  To know that they’ve known all along about Lucas and worse, that they’ve been complicit in his actions?  All those people killed…your family…Sara…”

Pushing away from the table to stand, I turn and swipe at a chair behind us, gritting my teeth as the wood smashes into the wall.  I’m aware that you’ve remained seated at the table, your sympathy and concern valiantly trying to temper the rage burning inside me as I think about what all of this means now.  Stalking away from you, I step over the wood pieces and pick up another chair, heaving it into the wall, my breath starting to race out of my mouth.  I feel tears of anger building as my eyes change, my hands curling into fists with the need to strike out, my teeth clicking down as I let loose the reins on my frustration and anxiety.  As my eyes search for another object to throw, I sense as you rise from the table, steadily walking over to me and meeting me as I turn to face you, your arms coming around me a moment before the tears break loose.

Clutching against your shirt, I shake my head against your shoulder, my hot tears dropping onto the soft material as my thoughts continue to tumble into each other, “We never stood a chance, Brittany.  Fighting against Lucas when he had the power of the Royal Family behind him, scraping for progress and an advantage, thinking we were making a difference, thinking we were protecting people when really we were just being toyed with.  So many people died.  While they probably fucking laughed at us, people died.  My friends died and for what?  What could they possibly hope to gain by siding with Lucas?”

Pulling back, I step away from your embrace and rip the tie from my hair, running my fingers through my hair as I pace across the room, “Why couldn’t my father have reached out before?  We could have done things differently instead of going in blind every time.  We never stood a chance.”

“We have a chance now.  Your father is giving us that chance now, Santana,” Your quiet voice stops my pacing and I reach into my pocket to pull out the folded letter, looking down at it as you come to stand before me once more.  Gently, your hand covers the letter as your other hands cups my cheek, guiding my gaze back to you as your eyes flicker between mine, “You can’t go back and change what has happened but you can make a difference now.  Your father had his reasons for holding back all this time and when we get through this, you can sit down and talk to him all about it.  But right now?  We have this opportunity and I say we use it.  Like your father said, the Fates have brought all this together now and there has to be a reason for it.  This is our chance.”

It’s the calmness in your blue eyes that finally extinguishes the rush of anger I initially felt after reading my father’s letter.  I’ve always been a believer in Fate and have counted my blessings from them more than once in my life and as you continue to watch me, I take a deep inhale and shore up my trust in them once more.

“How did you get to be so smart?” Your smile is bashful as I lean up to place a soft kiss against your mouth, my hand tucking the letter back in my pocket before I reach out and pull you into a hug, closing my eyes as your solid presence steadies my anxiety.  Turning my head to press a kiss against your cheek, I squeeze once against your waist before easing back to look at you, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Brittany.”

Brushing your fingertips against my jaw, you tap lightly against the pendant under my shirt, your voice whisper soft as you reach down to hold my hand, “You’ll never have to find out.  I am yours, forever.”

“Mine,” Sealing my response with a kiss, I squeeze your fingers lightly as I lead us towards the door, hesitating for a moment with my hand on the door handle.  I feel your thumb brush lightly against the back of my hand and I turn to look back, matching your soft smile with one of my own as I pull the door open, blowing out a breath as we make our way back downstairs, “Let’s go talk with Cian.”

 

* * *

 

Luckily, we find Cian and Rebekkah where we left them, in the dining hall at a back table engaged in quiet conversation, a half empty glass of blood at Cian’s elbow.  Robert and Declan sit a few tables away and I meet their concerned gaze with a small smile before releasing your hand, straightening my shoulders as I make my way over to Cian’s table.  Waving him off as he goes to rise, I grab a chair and sit at the head of the table as you take a seat next to Cian, my position not lost on him as he turns to face me with a serious expression.

Glancing briefly at Rebekkah, I look back at Cian, feeling the weight of the letter in my pocket as I address him, “Did you know?”

“No.  I swear it, Santana.  I had only hoped to gain an audience with the Royal Family, to ask for their help, something.  I got as far as the gates before I was grabbed and put into a cell.”

“Wait, what?  They arrested you?”

Shaking his head, the corners of his lips curve up into a smile as he answers me, “No, not them.  It was your father.  A guard loyal to your father told him of my arrival and he had me put into a cell, thinking the Royal Family wouldn’t pay attention that way.  Their cells are filled with those that have broken their stupid laws in one way or another.  I became just one of many.  To be fair, at the time, I was outraged and demanded answers and made quite the stink in an attempt to be released so I could speak with the Family.”

“Shocking.”

Cian’s dimples flash briefly as he recognizes my sarcasm, your own smile appearing as the mood at the table eases further past earlier hostilities.  Inclining his head towards me, he shrugs his shoulders before continuing his story, “Luckily for me, the guard assigned to me was your father’s and he quickly dissuaded me of the notion of clamoring for an audience with the Royal Family.  Shortly after I was there, your father came down to see me.  Despite what you had instructed, I told him everything.  After everything that happened, Santana, I felt desperate.  I was worried about you, worried for all of us really.”

Reaching forward, I place my hand on Cian’s forearm, acknowledging the apology I hear in his voice and tightening my fingers lightly to encourage him to continue his story.

“I told your father about Sara.”

I sense Declan shift anxiously and I turn my head slightly to meet his eyes, sharing his heavy grief for a moment before turning back to listen to Cian.

Covering my hand with his own, Cian leans closer to me as his tone takes on a greater intensity, “He was heartbroken, Santana.  I think that, for him, it was the final straw in a way.  He came clean and told me about the Royal Family and about Lucas and Kaitlin, he told me about the corruption within the Family, and he told me about what he was doing.  How he was working with others to finally bring them down.”

“Did he tell you why they’ve let Lucas and Kaitlin continue with their path of destruction?”

“No,” Shaking his head, I watch as Cian looks over at Rebekkah, his same inquiry of her met with a negative response as well.  Releasing my hand, Cian reaches out and takes a sip of blood, placing the glass down lightly as he looks at me once more, “Shortly after he told me those things, he said he had to return to his duties but to be ready to leave the next night.  So, I waited.  And then it happened.”

Rolling my eyes at his flair for the dramatic, I feel a tiny edge creep into my voice as I prompt him to continue the story, “And then _what_ happened, Cian?”

“Prison break.”

Rebekkah’s lightly accented voice answers my question and I see both you and Cian turn to look at her, my own gaze following as she looks at me.  Frowning, my voice is curious as I respond to her answer, “Prison break?  What do you mean?”

“Your father arranged to have all the cells in the jail opened at the same time, lighting a fire in the middle cell to spur the prisoners to escape faster.  He had stationed two of his loyal guards at the gates so he could open them as the prisoners made their way through the courtyard.”

Getting my attention, Cian continues the story, “During the chaos, your father came down and found me and guided me away from the main gates, taking me underground through a passageway that led to the woods outside.  Rebekkah was waiting for me there and that’s when your father gave me the letter to give to you and also when he told me about who Rebekkah was and why she had to come back with me.”

Sensing my questions, Rebekkah raises a hand, pushing her dinner plate to the side as she rests her elbows on the table, “Santana, I’m sure you have many questions.  These next few days are going to be critical in stopping Lucas and my sister and, please believe me when I tell you this, I want nothing more than to see both destroyed.  And to see the Royal Family crumble where they stand.  But, I do not have the same strength that Cian and you share and I am rather tired after our long journey to reach you.  If it is okay with you, perhaps we could continue this discussion tomorrow after I’ve had some time to rest and recharge my energy?”

You must sense my hesitation, my thoughts teeming with questions, because no sooner does Rebekkah finish speaking when the sound of your yawn reaches my ears, both Cian and I turning to look at you with amused glances.

_Vampires don’t yawn, Brittany._

_Oh._

Smiling indulgently at you, I meet Cian’s eyes briefly before looking back at Rebekkah, standing as I wave Robert over to our table, “As it seems you are not the only one needing rest, I’ll have Robert show you to your rooms.  Come find me tomorrow evening when you are ready to talk.”

Stepping back from the table, I accept Rebekkah’s grateful smile with a nod, placing my hand on Cian’s arm as he goes to move past me, “I’m still mad at you for leaving and for going to see my father when I asked you not to.  Repeatedly, I might add.  The fact that it appears to now be in our favor that you disobeyed me doesn’t negate the fact that…”

“I am an ass,” Cian’s quiet voice speaks over my words, his hands cupping my cheeks in a show of brotherly affection.  Pressing a kiss to my forehead, Cian pulls back to look at me, his demeanor serious as he continues speaking, “Leaving you, with everything going on, was the hardest thing I have ever done, Santana.  While you were worried for me that I might not return, I was worried over what I might find when I did return.  The Fates seemed to be finding us in their favor as here we both stand, safe and sound.  Though, you do look a little tired, sweetheart.  While I look as handsome as ever, of course.”

“Of course,” Rolling my eyes, I’m helpless but to return his playful smile, the relief I felt earlier at finally seeing him still a tangible thing.  Pulling him into a hug, I meet your eyes over his shoulder, drawing additional comfort from your soft smile.  Squeezing him one more time, I release the embrace and reach out for your hand, moving to the side to allow Cian to press a kiss to your cheek before he turns to follow Robert and Rebekkah out of the dining hall.

“Santana?”

“Yes, love?”

Resting your chin against my shoulder, you let out a small sigh as your other hand wraps around my forearm, “I know we don’t yawn but I’m actually kind of tired.  Do you think we could go back to our room now?”

“Of course,” Raising our joined hands, I press a kiss against the back of your fingers before letting go, turning around to face you.  Brushing your hair back from your face, I rest my hands on your shoulders and lean forward to kiss your bottom lip softly before nodding my head towards the exit, “I just need to speak to Declan for a moment.  Why don’t you head over to our room and I’ll be there shortly, okay?”

“Okay, San.”

Watching as you make your way to leave, I feel my own weariness settle on my shoulders and I roll my neck against the weight.  Eager to join you at our room, I take a deep breath and head over to Declan, grabbing a flask of whiskey and two clean glasses from a nearby table.  Taking a seat on the bench across from him, I reach out and pour two full glasses, handing him one without a word.

Raising my glass, I meet his eyes and wait quietly until he raises his own, grief passing between us like a sharp blade as I reach out and place my other hand over his on the table between us, “To Sara.”

Swallowing hard, Declan’s eyes hold mine, even as they fill with tears, his voice hushed as nods his head slowly, “To Sara.”

Downing the whiskey, I place my glass on the table and say nothing as Declan refills both our glasses, his hand held in mine as we drink, sadness sitting silent vigil next to us.

 

* * *

 

Pausing outside our door, I close my eyes and tuck away my grief, exhaling slowly as I calm my mind and push the door open, stepping into the room as the smell of lavender fills my nose.  Blindly reaching back to shut the door, I scan the room slowly, my eyes adjusting to the flickering candlelight throughout the room until they finally find you.

“Get undressed and join me, San,” Patting the side of the tub, your blue eyes seem to almost glow in the soft light of the candles, the edges crinkling up slightly as you smile at me.  Watching as I get undressed and walk over to you, you sit up and hold your hand out to help me as I step into the tub, turning me until I am sitting between your legs, your arms wrapping around my shoulders as you pull me back against your body.

“Brittany, how did you get everything down here for this?  There wasn’t a tub in here last night.  Wait, was there?”

Gathering my hair in your hands, you twist it into a bun, kissing the side of my head as your hands drop below the water to run up and down my arms, “Yes, San.  You were so tired last night, I could see how you’d miss it.  Getting heated water down here was a bit tricky but luckily, Robert already had the blacksmith fires set up from earlier so I was able to get warm water for us.”

Bending my elbows, I grab your hands and press a kiss to each of your palms, folding your arms across my chest and holding you there as I rest my temple against the side of your jaw, “You’re too good to me, love.”

Shifting slightly, you pull me tighter against your body, brushing your thumbs against my wrists as you shake your head, “No such thing.  I…felt you, earlier.  With Declan.”

Sighing, I sit up so I can face you, dropping my hand into the water to brace myself next to your hip while I rest my other hand on your thigh under the water, “I tried to keep most of it away from you.  I know you’re still dealing with your own grief, Brittany.”

You frown at me at that, leaning forward to gently grip my chin your hand as you search my eyes, your sweet voice tinged with just the smallest hint of annoyance, “Why do you keep trying to keep things from me?  That night in your room, when you changed me, you gave me the gift of not only your love but of this chance to be with you.  Forever.  This connection we have runs deeper than anything I’ve ever known and I am so grateful for that.  I am grateful for you.  And that means _all_ of you, Santana.  You don’t have to carry everything on your own any longer…let me be here for you.”

I feel your love pushing into me, raising the weight off my chest and putting the sureness of this connection in its place.  Tightening my fingers on your thigh, I close the space between us and kiss you, letting your taste wash away the salt of my tears shed during the walk back to our room.  Inhaling deeply, I take in the smell of the lavender from the warm bath water as it rests on your skin, feeling the low stirrings of arousal coming to life as your hands cup the back of my head, my hair falling from my bun at the gentle insistence of your fingers.  The angle is awkward in the tub as I try to push closer to you, your tongue making gentle sweeps across my bottom lip as I rub my hand against your hip, my small groan of frustration at not being able to get closer to you causing you to pull away from the kiss and stand up.

Pulling me to stand up with you, you step out of the tub and help me out, patting both you and I dry quickly with a towel before dropping it on the floor and leading me over to the bed.  Guiding me onto my back, your body covers mine slowly, both of us sighing into the contact as your thigh slips between my legs, your weight braced on one elbow as your other hand pulls me into another kiss.  I feel the ends of your hair brush against my chest as you change the angle of the kiss, your tongue stroking into my mouth slowly as my hands find purchase low on your back.  Despite my growing arousal, I find it easy to not let my eyes change or my teeth extend, seeking this connection with you without the reminder of the violence and danger that waits outside this town.

Your skin is warm under my palms and, as you rock your hips slowly, your breasts softly sliding against mine, my stomach clenches as a hint of your wetness brushes against my thigh.  Digging my fingers into the muscles I can feel moving under my hands, I start to match your rhythm, feeling as you tense your thigh to increase the friction.  Your moan as you feel my wetness sends my heart racing and I pull away from the kiss with a gasp, your hand sliding from my jaw to the back of my neck, your forehead resting against mine as you pant into my open mouth.

Your eyes remain blue as you watch my face, your hips curling a little bit faster as I brace my foot on the bed, your wetness apparent in the ease with which you move against me.  I can feel the sweat building between our stomachs as I spread my legs a little wider and grind up into the pressure, needing nothing more than just this connection with you, your body moving in perfect synchronicity with my own.

Pressing down with my hands, I groan at the feeling of your legs trembling, the angle and pressure working you steadily towards your release.  Licking my lips, I claim your mouth in another deep kiss, feeling my own stomach tighten as the bed frame keeps time with our movements.  Wrapping my arms around your back, I push off with my foot and roll you onto your back, reaching up to grab your hands and raise them above your head, lacing our fingers together as I start to grind harder against you.

Sucking your bottom lip into my mouth, I feel your fingers tighten as your hips start to become more uncoordinated, your panting breaths accented by moans as your wetness increases against my thigh.  Pushing up slightly, I look down and watch your eyes, your head arching back as your orgasm starts to race along your body, your legs locking around my thigh as your hips keep moving in jerky motions.  Releasing your hands, I press my cheek against yours as your fingers grab tight to my ribs, whispering words of love even as my own arousal pulses hot inside me.

Barely a few seconds pass before your hands slide from my ribs to my hips, your thigh tensing between my legs as you turn your head and kiss me, your tongue encouraging me to match its rhythm.  Groaning into the kiss, I tighten my hands in the pillow beneath your head, my hips rocking harder and faster into you until my orgasm steals my breath, my body pressing tight against you as I moan out my release next to your ear.  Closing my eyes as your arms wrap around my back, I keep my open mouth pressed against the side of your neck, catching my breath as I listen to you do the same.  After a few moments, I shift onto my side, pulling you with me as I keep our legs pressed together, sliding my hand up to brush the back of my fingers against your warm cheek, “I love you, Brittany.”

Leaning closer to me, you drop a soft kiss against my lips, your hand resting against the curve of my waist as you smile at me, “I love you, Santana.”

 

* * *

 

A knock at the door startles me awake and it takes me a moment to realize that it’s still night time, though the tingling in my body is telling me that dawn isn’t that far way.

Throwing my button down shirt on quickly, I walk over and open the door to find Robert standing there with a serious looking Bastian standing next to him.  Moving to the side when I feel you come up behind me, I glance at Bastian before addressing Robert, “What is it?”

“It’s the prisoners, Santana.  They’re ready to talk.”


	15. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prisoners reveal the reasons behind Lucas' actions as Santana is forced to make a hard choice regarding their fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.
> 
> A/N: I know it's been a little while since I've updated this story and that was due mostly to general writer's block and not abandonment of this story. I definitely have the whole thing outlined and this story will definitely be updated and eventually completed. I really wanted to thank you guys for asking about the story and for sticking with me in reading this. Reviews are appreciated, especially after a battle with writer's block, but even you guys just taking the time to read this is very appreciated so thanks! :-)

I can feel the tension coming off you as we make our way to the center of town, your thoughts heavy as you see your idea come to life with half of the posts that were set up earlier now occupied by the prisoners.  I feel a quick pang in my chest as I realize that the anger inside me is preventing me from comforting you and I slow my pace as I notice you’ve stopped walking, my attempts at soothing you through our connection weak at best.  Taking a quick breath, I feel the moment that you pull back on our connection and I spare a quick glance back to find you staring calmly at me, your blue eyes steady as my gaze flickers between your eyes.  It dawns on me then that you’ve just dulled our connection to reduce any distractions, to allow me to question the prisoners without the added weight of your emotions and I allow a small smile in gratitude as you nod once and stand a little taller.  I catch Declan coming to stand next to you before I turn back and face the prisoners, the sounds of a struggle drawing everyone’s attention as Robert and Bastian emerge from the stockade.

The bearded prisoner that had threatened you earlier is the last to be brought out and his attempts to break away from Robert and Bastian’s hold seem to fuel the other prisoners as they pull and strain against the ropes binding their wrists.  It takes a few moments more before the bearded prisoner is secured, my fist clenching as he spits at Robert and glares, absorbing a punch from Bastian as the other prisoners snarl and snap their teeth.  Before Robert could reach forward in retaliation, I yell out across the courtyard, all eyes turning to me now, ‘”Enough!” 

Stepping away from the crowd, I meet Robert’s eyes as he and Bastian make their way to stand behind me, the anger in them a reflection of my own.  I can feel the itch under my skin at the impending sunrise and knowing that each of the prisoners before me is experiencing the same feeling, I square my shoulders and address them as a whole, “I understand that you have made the wise choice and have decided to speak to me.”

“And yet you still tie us up outside, bitch,” A prisoner to my left draws my attention and I feel my stance relax at the fear I can sense coming from them, their hope that Lucas would rescue them waning in the face of the approaching dawn.

“You needed incentive.  Now, you have it,” Gesturing with my hand to indicate their positions, I walk over to stand in front of the bearded man, meeting his glare with a smirk.  “Tell me why Lucas sent you to sabotage me.  What is he planning?  How is the Royal Family involved?”

Surprisingly, he smiles at me, relaxing against the post as he shakes his head, “So many questions…”

“So little time,” Interrupting him, I nod my head towards the direction of the sunrise.

I see a brief flash of fear in his eyes before he shrugs his shoulders, his nonchalance only half convincing as he leans his head forward to speak to me, “We’re dead anyway.  It doesn’t matter.  Lucas will never let us live if we speak with you.”

Snorting out a laugh, I take a step closer to him and meet his eyes, clucking my tongue in fake sympathy, “Do you really think Lucas cares for even one second whether you live or die?  You served your purpose, whatever that was.  And now you’ve been captured, no doubt missing whatever rendezvous you were supposed to have with him to report on all your _successes_.  He isn’t coming to save you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ve given you a choice, haven’t I?  You can stay here till the sun rises and be silent or you can speak with me.  Do you think so little of your lives that you would choose death over answering a few simple questions?”

At his silence, I gesture to one of Victor’s men to come forward, pointing at the first prisoner all the way to the left, “So be it.  Kill that one.”

Without hesitation, Victor’s man drives a stake through the prisoner’s heart, a burst of ash falling to the ground seconds later.  Despite your attempt to dull our connection, I feel your anxiety spike at my command, every fiber of my being yearning to turn around and look at you, to reassure you somehow.  Pushing down my own emotions, I lift my chin and face the bearded prisoner once more, acutely aware of the silence coming from the other prisoners, “Why did Lucas send you to sabotage me?  What is he planning?  How is the Royal Family involved?”

The itch under my skin is growing stronger and I know that there is only a little under an hour left before the sun rises.  The same urgency I’m feeling is starting to reflect itself in the eyes of the other prisoners and I can sense the restlessness coming from my own men.  Moving to the prisoner next to the bearded man, I ask him the same questions, feeling my heart sink as he looks to the bearded man first before closing his mouth and glaring at me.  Pointing to another prisoner, I wave Victor’s man forward and again watch as ash covers the ground, the other prisoners starting to turn and look expectantly at the bearded man.

Once again I step in front of him, meeting his gaze steady as I address him once again, “These are men that have fought beside you.  They may even be your friends.  Are you so assured of your place in Lucas’s kingdom that you can sit here and watch as each one dies in front of you?  I won’t say it again…he is _not_ coming to save you.  You and I both know there isn’t much time left so I will only ask you this one more time…why did Lucas send you to sabotage me?  What is he planning?  How is the Royal Family involved?”

A few more seconds pass and as I go to raise my hand to signal Victor’s man forward, I hear a softly uttered ‘bitch’.  Looking at the bearded man, I hold my hand out to halt Victor’s man before addressing the prisoner, “What did you say?”

“Bitch.”

“Well, that doesn’t really sound like an answer to me,” Gesturing Victor’s man towards another prisoner, I’m again forced to stop his progress as the bearded man finally speaks to me.

“I’ll tell you what you want to know but it’s not going to help you.  Nothing can save you.”

“We seem to be in the same predicament then, don’t we?  Speak and see if your fortune changes.”

“Lucas and Kaitlin have power unlike any that you’ve ever seen and yet despite this, you and your men have managed to disrupt their plans.  Killing their men and saving town after town of worthless humans.  You caused them enough of a headache that they made plans to infiltrate your ranks, to learn of your plans and make sure they were always two steps ahead of you.  And it worked, for a while.”

“What changed?”

Glaring, the bearded man flashes his teeth at me, disgust laced into every word, “You didn’t give up.  Loss after loss and you kept fighting so plans had to be put into place.  If you wouldn’t be discouraged by defeat, then you would learn your place through the deaths of those around you.  Tell me, bitch, how did it feel to lose your men and that whore Sara?”

Turning quickly, I’m at Declan’s side before he can move, my hand on his chest and my other hand on his shoulder holding him place.  Looking over his shoulder, I see that Cian and Rebekkah have joined the crowd and I meet Cian’s eyes, watching as he comes to stand next to Declan, resting his hand on Declan’s other shoulder.  Sparing a precious moment to speak with Declan, I step into his sight line and hold his gaze, my words interrupted by his slightly unsteady voice, “It’s okay, Santana.  I’m okay.  Finish questioning them so this can be over.”

Squeezing his shoulder tightly, I nod my head and turn back towards the prisoners, tucking my hands into my pockets and taking a deep breath before speaking to the bearded man once more, “How do you know all this?”

A smug smile splits his face as he answers, the other prisoners watching our exchange closely, “I am one of Lucas’ commanders so believe me when I tell you that you shall not go unpunished for this.”

Ignoring the threat, I choose to ask the next two more important questions, “My punishment aside, what is he planning and what does the Royal Family have to do with his plans?”

“ _His plans_?  It is the Royal Family who put this plan into motion.  After all, how do you think it’s been so easy for him and Kaitlin to roam free through the land?  It’s like having two snarling wolves on a leash as you move through a herd of sheep.  The sheep stand no chance.”

“The Royal Family wants all the humans killed?  But why?”

Rolling his eyes at me, the bearded man relaxes back against the post, licking his lips obscenely as he continues speaking, “Not all killed, you dumb whore.  Where’s the fun in that?  Lucas and Kaitlin are free to hunt, torture, turn, fuck, any and all humans, even kill them, within reason of course.  Their reign of terror is designed to bring the humans to their knees as slaves, as it should be.  With the humans’ wills broken, vampires will rule the land and the Royal Family will rule them all, with Lucas and Kaitlin as their King and Queen.”

Disgusted, I can only stare at him as he finishes speaking, the urge to tear the smile from his face competing with the growing need to retreat from the rapidly approaching morning, the combination making me jittery.  Shaking my head, I look back at the others gathered around us and incline my head towards them, “We are not all monsters.  Not all vampires want that.”

Spitting at the ground by my feet, the bearded man laughs, his ochre eyes scanning the crowd behind me as he raises his voice, “Like the weakest of the herd, you’ll all be killed.  There’s no room in Lucas’ Kingdom for pussies.  Except for maybe hers.”

Jolting at his smirk as I realize that he is looking at you over my shoulder, I step closer to him and force his gaze back to me, my body reacting to the implied threat as he looks right at me and continues speaking, “I told you before, Lucas has special plans for your blonde whore as your punishment for daring to rise against him.  But don’t worry, Lucas plans on keeping you alive so you can fully appreciate what he has planned.  Revenge is so much sweeter when the person is there to see it, don’t you agree?”

“Too bad you’ll never know,” Gritting my teeth, I turn and walk away, stopping at Robert’s side as he meets me halfway.

“What should we do with them, Santana?”

Looking over my shoulder, I see the first hints of daylight starting to creep through the sky and I watch as the prisoners start to tug in earnest on their binds, growling threats and pleas as the bearded man just watches me.  Never looking away from his gaze, I give my command to Robert and start to walk towards you, your eyes turned ochre with emotion, “Leave them there and let them die.

I can hear the bearded man shout over the yells of the other prisoners, his voice shrill with anxiety, “You bitch!!  You said we’d be released from these posts if we spoke with you!”

Stopping, I turn slowly and face the man, my eyes hard with anger despite the calmness in my voice, “I said you can choose to stay tied up and silent or you can choose to speak with me.  I never said that you wouldn’t remain there afterwards.”

Walking to your side, I grab your hand and pull you with me, the urgency to reach our room starting to race through my veins as the sunrise approaches.  As we reach the door to the building, I feel you yank back on my hand, your face twisted with emotion as you look back towards the courtyard, our human soldiers replacing Robert and the others as the sun begins to rise.  Pulling on your hand once more, I try to urge you inside, the sky growing lighter by the second, “Brittany, we need to get inside now.  We have barely a few minutes to spare before the sun comes over the horizon.”

Standing firm, you let go of my hand and take a small step back the way we came, your eyes bright with anxiety as you speak to me, “No, Santana.  We have to go back.  You can’t just let them die like that.”

“I can and I am.  Please, come inside now before you get hurt.”

“No.  This isn’t right.  I know I made the suggestion earlier but there has to be another way.  They told you what you wanted to know.  Couldn’t we just leave them in the stockade when we leave?”

“No.”

“But Santana…”

Exasperated, I reach forward and grab you, turning and pinning you to the wall under the cover of the overhang above the door, my eyes never looking away from yours as I practically yell at you, “They threatened you.”

“What?”  Your voice is soft, a direct counterpoint to mine, and the difference has me easing my grip on you as you reach up and cup my face, “Are you going to kill everyone who threatens me?”

“Yes.”

“Santana…”

Despite the shadows around us starting to give way to the morning sunshine, I keep us pressed close against the wall, my body vibrating with urgency and emotion as I reach up and hold onto your forearms, “Brittany, listen to me.  These men…they won’t stop until Lucas dies.  Do you understand that?  Leaving them behind could mean we’d have them at our backs if they ever escaped.  This is the only way to make sure they won’t be a threat any longer.”

As if on cue, the screams of the prisoners chase the birds from the trees around us and the despair on your face makes me feel like a fist is crushing my heart and I press my forehead against yours, the heat against my back almost unbearable, “Please come inside with me.  You don’t need to hear this.  I’m so sorry, love.  I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…”

My apologies are stopped with a hard kiss and then I feel the cool relief of the dark interior of the building as you turn and push us through the door, holding the embrace as you lift me off my feet and carry me quickly down the stairs and through the door of our room.  Releasing me, you light a fire in the fireplace as I remove my slightly singed shirt, walking over to drink gratefully from one of the blood flasks next to our bed.  A few seconds pass before I feel my skin start to heal itself and I keep my eyes closed even when I feel you come up behind me, your arms wrapping around my stomach as you lean your cheek against the side of my neck.  Holding the flask up, I keep one hand resting on your arm as you reach out to take a few sips, kissing my bare shoulder as you pull away and put the flask down on the table.

Turning around, I watch as you remove your clothes, letting them fall to a pile at your feet as you sit on the edge of the mattress and urge me to stand in front of you, your hands deftly removing my trousers until I am standing naked before you.  Running my fingers through your blonde hair, I drop one hand to rub across the top of your shoulders as you lean forward and wrap your arms around my waist, your cheek resting against my stomach.  I can feel the weight of the morning pushing down on me and as much as I want to give in to my need for sleep, I can feel your emotions churning inside me and so I push my own needs aside, instead leaning forward to pull you with me onto the bed until I can settle onto my back with you tucked securely against my side.

Brushing a kiss to your forehead, I keep my touch light as you lean your head back to look at me, my voice quiet with emotion, “Things are only going to get harder from here on out, love.  Decisions will have to be made, decisions that neither you nor I could ever imagine making a few years ago.  Decisions that others will have to make that may not sit well with us but nevertheless have to be made.  I know I said it before but it’s tearing me up inside that you have to be exposed to this.  I wish there was a way to keep you safe and keep you away from all of this so you won’t have to keep seeing all these awful things.  You know, I’d understand if you didn’t want to continue on when we leave in a few days.  You could stay behind and…”

“Santana, no.  I said…”

“But…”

“But nothing,” Your voice is firm as you talk over my objection, your body shifting until you can hold my face in your hands, my arms automatically going around your back and pulling you close to me.  “I know this isn’t easy for you either, San.  The deaths, the fighting, having all these people rely on you for guidance and leadership.  We talked about this…you’re not alone any more.  I’m here and we’re in this together.  Till the very end.”

Accepting your warm kiss, I open myself to our connection, your love and strength soothing all my frayed edges, my heart pounding in its own offering to you.  With one last gentle kiss, I tuck your face against my neck and hold you closer, my voice barely above a whisper as I reaffirm your last words, “Till the very end.”


	16. Sibling Rivalry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group finally learns about Rebekkah and Kaitlin's relationship and a truth is revealed about Santana's sire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.

Later that night found a sullen group sitting together in the dining hall, mostly untouched cups of blood in front of us as Rebekkah picked at her roast beef and potatoes.  The mood in the hall is decidedly more subdued after the events of the early morning, everyone’s thoughts no doubt on the next steps that will bring us into a final confrontation with Lucas, the necessity to do so made more apparent by the revelations of Lucas’s commander.  I’m brought back into the ongoing dinner conversation by Cian lightly kicking my ankle under the table, my glare cut off by the sound of Rebekkah’s voice, “I think it’s time I tell you about mine and Kaitlin’s history with the Royal Family, and with each other.”

Your voice is curious as you draw Rebekkah’s attention with your question, “You said Kaitlin is your half-sister, right?”

Nodding, Rebekkah pushes her dinner plate away from her and accepts a cup of wine from Cian with a small smile, taking a sip before answering you, “Yes, we share the same mother.  Our powers are passed on maternally, though sometimes it may skip a generation.  As it turns out, my mother was powerful enough to pass along her powers to both her daughters, despite us having different fathers.”

Topping off mine and Brittany’s glasses of blood, I hold the flask out as Robert comes and joins us at the table, turning to Rebekkah to ask my own question, “Were you two raised together?”

“Yes.  Kaitlin is older by three years and her father died when she was very young.  Our mother met my father a few years later and two years after that, they had me.  The women in our family don’t come into their powers until we are almost to puberty so Kaitlin and I spent most of our years together happy as sisters.  My father loved Kaitlin like his own daughter and for many years, we lived as a happy little family.”

“Did your mother tell you and Kaitlin about your powers?”

Turning to address Robert’s question, Rebekkah shakes her head and continues, “Not at first.  I think maybe she was hoping it would skip us.  The powers that we have are a gift but they can also be a burden and, as we learned with Kaitlin, they can even be turned into a kind of darkness.  Eventually as Kaitlin got closer to puberty and it became apparent that it had not skipped a generation, my mother sat both of us down and told us about our heritage and our powers.  There was a still a chance it might skip me, my mother told us, so we’d just have to see how things went in a few years when I was approaching puberty.”

“How did Kaitlin handle the news that she was a sorceress?”

My question brings Rebekkah to silence for a moment and I feel a pang of sympathy for her as she takes a deep breath before answering me, “It…changed her.  Whereas my mother and the other women in our family with powers had used their skills to heal and to council others, the power within Kaitlin was warped somehow and she started to use her powers for selfish reasons.  The sister that had once given her last apple to her friend as we played in the field now was the sister that had that same friend twist her ankle because a boy Kaitlin liked had smiled at her friend instead.  My mother tried to teach Kaitlin to control her darker impulses, to not use her powers for selfish gain but instead to use them towards a positive purpose.  My mother taught us that our powers came from nature and we needed to respect that.  Kaitlin only saw that control as a weakness and continued to build her power with darker intent.”

Shifting in her seat, Rebekkah’s gaze drops to the table, her voice slightly softer as she continues her story, “It only got worse once we all realized that I too was coming into my powers.  Instead of being happy that I shared her gift and we could learn together, along with our mother, she became jealous and resentful that she wasn’t the only one with powers.  My mother kept trying to teach us the right way to do things but Kaitlin never wanted to learn and eventually, my mother started to concentrate on teaching me.  My powers, even at that time, seemed stronger than Kaitlin’s and I think that’s what finally drove her away from us.  The night she left, it was the day before my 18th birthday which is a very important time in our lives.  That is the day that we fully come into our powers and that milestone is celebrated with a very special ritual and, despite the strain in our relationship, Kaitlin was still my sister and I was hoping this might bring us closer.  A foolish little sister’s dream, perhaps, but at that time I was still hoping that she would come around.”

“And obviously she didn’t.”

Responding to Cian’s statement, Rebekkah’s gaze finds and holds mine, the anger in her voice growing as finishes her story, “No.  As I said, she left the night before, storming out of our house, ranting about how our mother favored me and how she wouldn’t sit by while I was honored for something that was just as great as what Kaitlin herself had.  She said that she was going to prove that she was better than all of us, better than all of the women in our family who had come before her, and that one day she’d make us see that.  I never saw my sister after that, until one night a few years later when I was invited by the Royal Family to attend a ball they were holding to celebrate the Fall Solstice.  I thought nothing of the invite as young people in our town and in other towns frequently attended these events.  At first, I was wanted to decline.  But I had a weird feeling about the invite this time, there was something telling me to attend and despite the unease I was feeling, I went.  Just to see.”

Looking over as you finish taking a sip from your glass, Rebekkah shrugs her shoulders as you ask your question, “Why would you go if you felt like something was wrong?”

“Believe me, if I had known then what I know now, I would have burned the invitation the moment I received it.  But I was curious and so I traveled to the Royal castle not really knowing what to expect.  When I arrived, I was treated like an honored guest and, as it was designed to do, it put me at ease.  There was a dinner being held on the night of my arrival and when I entered the dining area, I expected to see it filled with all the people invited to attend the ball but there was only the five members of the Royal Family.  And Kaitlin.  I remember feeling a rush of happiness at seeing her, my sister, looking like a beautiful woman with more of my mother in her now that she was a little bit older.  My smile at seeing her was not returned and as I made my way to sit across from her at the dinner table, I felt like something was very wrong but I couldn’t have known then exactly what I had gotten myself into by coming there that night.”

“What happened?”

“Unbeknownst to us, the Royal Family had taken an interest in Kaitlin and I, having heard of our powers and especially of my powers.  They’d brought us together to the castle that night to hold us there to convince us to work for them and if that failed, to keep us there to try and harness our power.  Knowing I would try and escape and knowing I was powerful enough to just maybe pull it off, Kaitlin had gone to the Royal Family and convinced them that she knew a spell that could bind me to the castle and prevent my escape.  She offered to work for them and do their bidding, whatever it may be, in return for her freedom to come and go as she pleased.  As the Royal Family’s true interest was in me and not my sister, they accepted her offer and as my sister left the castle that night, I was confined to one of the towers.  She abandoned me there to save herself and that is something I will never be able to forgive.”

It’s Cian that asks the next question and I feel you tense next to me as he hardly finishes asking it before Rebekkah cuts him off, “What did the Royal Family want with you that whole time?”

“I don’t want to discuss it,” Rebekkah’s eyes are serious as she answers him, but I can see the tremble in her hands before she drops them below the table.  “My time there and what was done to me and the things they made me do are a discussion that will happen between Kaitlin and I.  She’ll know the depths of my anger over her betrayal and it will be the last thing she knows before I end her.  She came to me, you know.  About a year after I had been locked up there, she came to visit me to taunt me.  Foolishly claiming she had all the power now and look how pathetic I was behind my prison tower cell, unable to do anything without the grace of the Royal Family allowing it.  She laughed at me, sneering that it seems as if our mother chose the wrong daughter to dote over and that she hoped I rotted in that cell.  Before she left, she told me that my…not our, but _my_ …mother was dead, along with my father, that I was alone now and that was how I was going to die.”

Your voice is tentative next to me as you ask the question we all want to ask, your hand reaching out to touch Rebekkah’s shoulder in sympathy, “Did she kill your mother and father?”

Swallowing back tears, Rebekkah nods once before looking directly at me, “For that alone, I would strike her down where she stands.  That’s why I knew, when your father approached me with the chance to escape, to come with Cian and fight alongside you, I had to take that chance.  I don’t know what it is that is broken inside my sister and I spent too many years caring and worrying about how to fix it.  Whatever she is now, whatever she has become, she’s not my sister.  My sister died when she was a child and I’ve mourned her that way and I’ll remember her that way.  This Kaitlin that exists now needs to be stopped at any cost.”

“In that, we are in total agreement.”

“One more thing, Santana,” Rebekkah’s voice is soft as she speaks to me, her eyes finding Cian’s for a moment before looking back at me.  “Your father told me about the real reason for Kaitlin’s attack on your maker Duncan.  It wasn’t to retaliate against them, as you were led to believe, since she was working for them the whole time and her banishment from their lands was merely a ruse.  She killed Duncan on the Royal Family’s orders to send a warning to your father and to weaken you.  You had been having some success in stopping their attacks on the villages and they wanted to try and break your spirit by killing your sire.  I’m so sorry.”

Meeting Cian’s eyes, I feel the knowledge of the true reason for our sire’s death throb in my heart like a bruise, our mutual anger bonding us tighter than ever.  Watching as Cian holds Rebekkah’s hand, I let my gaze find yours, taking comfort in your eyes as Cian’s quiet voice reaches my ears, “There’s nothing for you to apologize for, darling.  None of this is your fault.”

“Some of it has to be.  If only my mother and I had been able to help her or change her, guide her away from the darkness she seemed to embrace.  If only…”

“Stop,” Turning to face Rebekkah, I lean closer to her across the table and attempt to reassure her, my voice conveying none of the turmoil inside of me.  “You are not responsible for her actions and her choices.  What she chose to do and continues to choose to do are things she has to account for, only her.  You will get your chance for revenge, to make things right.  We all will.”

Holding my gaze for a moment longer, Rebekkah nods her head in acknowledgment, running a hand tiredly over her face before standing up from the table, “If you’ll all excuse me, I think I’ll go back to my room for the night.  I’m suddenly feeling exhausted and I think a little time alone will be good for me.”

Ever the gentlemen, Cian rises from the table and offers to walk Rebekkah back to her room, her smile at his gesture the first genuine one since we all sat down for dinner, “Thank you, Cian, but I’ll be fine.  Besides, I feel like you all have much to discuss.  I’ll take my leave and see you all tomorrow night.”

With another smile for those of us still at the table and chorus of goodnights, we all sit quietly as Rebekkah leaves the dining hall, your hand finding mine under the table as Cian sits back down.  Rubbing my thumb across the back of your hand, I take a deep breath and then look over at Robert and Cian, seeking out and finding Declan, Bastian and Victor a few tables over.  Waving them over, I wait until all three are seated before addressing everyone, “We make our final march to the Kersk Mountains in a few days and there is much to be done before we are ready to leave Brogan’s Point.  I’ll need all of you focused to get the men, horses, and supplies ready.  We are leaving a contingent of men here to protect those townspeople that have stayed behind to help us and also to have a safeguard in case Lucas’ men retreat back down the mountain.  But the rest of us will need to make sure that everything and everyone else is rested, prepared, and ready to move.  Understood?”

At everyone’s affirmative answers, I dismiss them and stand with you, watching as you make your way over to one of the side tables, pressing a kiss to your cousin’s cheek as he looks over and waves at me, matching smiles greeting me as you wave at me also, teasing a small laugh from me.

_Would you like to take a walk, love?_

You answer my unspoken question with a wider smile, bending down to say goodnight to David before joining me as I walk out of the dining hall.  Reaching down, you slip your fingers between mine, your other hand reaching over to wrap around my bicep as you guide us away from the main buildings, purposely avoiding the courtyard as you walk us towards a bench by the side of one of the abandoned houses.  Gently pushing me down onto the seat, you gracefully turn your body and sit down on my lap, wrapping your arm around the back of my shoulders as your other hand cups my jaw, your thumb running softly over the skin there as I lock my hands around your waist. 

“I could look at you for hours, San.”

“I could hold you for longer.”

Smiling at my response, you lean down and kiss me, your lips warm as they rest lightly against mine.  Breathing you in, I tighten my arms and pull you closer to my body, feeling my muscles relax as your lips continue to move softly with tender kisses.  Pulling away slowly, your blue eyes shine in the moonlight and I can feel my love for you bursting through my body, my heart beating hard with the force of it.  My emotions make my teeth click down and as I lean forward to kiss you again, I feel you deliberately drag your lower lip against the sharp points, the sudden taste of your blood mingling with our kiss.  Humming into the kiss, I feel your own sharp teeth scraping across my lip and I press a little harder, absorbing the rush of pleasure as you suck my bottom lip into your mouth, your tongue moving slowly against mine before you end this kiss.  Looking into your eyes, I feel the connection between us as a tangible force, pressing against my skin and moving through my body, feeling my chest ache with the beauty of it.  Reaching up to press against the pendant resting under your shirt, my voice is hoarse with emotion, “Brittany…”

“I know, baby.”

“I haven’t had enough time with you.”

My voice catches on the last word and you shift in my lap, straddling my waist as you brush my hair back from my face, bringing both hands to cup my jaw, your eyes intent on mine, “Don’t think about that.  You have to trust that we will win against Lucas, Santana.  You have to.”

“I know we stand a good chance with the soldiers we have, with Robert and Bastian and the others, and with Rebekkah fighting with us, we should be able to defeat Lucas and Kaitlin.”

“Will.  We _will_ defeat them.  Your people need to believe that you believe that and you need to believe that.  I know you, San.  You can do this, we can do this.  I know you are worried about everyone and worried about me but there is nothing more you can do.  We’ve prepared, we’ve trained, we have Rebekkah and we know your father is working to bring the Royal Family down even as we get ready to battle Lucas.  There’s nothing left to do but trust that we will win, that the Fates are on our side.”

Reaching up, I cover your hands with mine, sitting up straighter as I hold your hands to my face, “I can’t lose you.  I won’t lose you, Brittany.  Do you hear me?  I will tear them apart with my bare hands before I let them touch you.  I need you by my side.  I need you with me so I can do this.”

“I’ll be there, right there with you, Santana,” Leaning forward, you seal your vow with a kiss, your body pressed tight to mine as your heart pounds against my chest. 

Releasing your hands, I slide my arms around your back, breaking the kiss to rest my cheek against yours, closing my eyes as your arms drape over my shoulders.  I can hear the distant sounds of metal clanging against metal as weapons are repaired, the sounds of men talking strategy and of loved ones, but the most important sound of all is the sound of your heartbeat and so I tune everything else out.  Granting myself a few moments of peace, while the specter of war makes his rounds in the village, I keep my eyes closed and instead open our connection, drawing strength from you as I give you my love in return.  Smiling as the warmth of your love rushes over me, I put the battle out of mind and instead enjoy the simple act of holding the girl that I love in my arms.


	17. One More For The Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After days of preparation, with a battle looming on the horizon, Brittany gets Santana to agree to a night of celebration and relaxation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.
> 
> A/N: Well, this is the last chapter before the big battle. Dun-dun-dun! As such, I decided to go with a little fluff and smut because if you're going to battle an evil vampire and his evil sorceress queen, you should at least be entitled to some fluff and smut.
> 
> Speaking of the big battle, in the interest of full disclosure, it's something I've been dreading writing since I first thought of writing this story. When your whole story has been leading up to something big, you gotta make sure that something big doesn't flop and fall over like a melodramatic drag queen. So the next update may not be in the next couple of days the way these past three have been so for those of you still reading this story, I hope you hang in there. Hopefully it will all be worth the wait. :-)
> 
> A/N: Are you guys getting tired of me constantly thanking you for reading and/or reading and reviewing? :-) I hope not because I really am thankful to all of you taking the time to check out this story. A labor of love is definitely more fun with people hanging out along the way. So once again, thanks! :-)

“Again.”

“You sure your arm isn’t about to fall off, love?  You’ve been trying to best me for two hours,” Adjusting the grip on my sword, I wink at you and shift my stance as you raise your weapon and face me again.

“I’m not tired.  That was just a lucky shot,” You swipe at the sweat on your forehead, your blonde hair dark where it sticks to the side of your neck.  Circling around me, your face is all fierce concentration and my admiration almost gets me in trouble as you swing your sword in an arc, forcing me back a step as I bring my sword up to block you.

“She almost had you that time, Santana,” Robert’s cheerful voice sounds off to my left and I manage to side-eye him before you advance again, my forearms burning as I grip the sword with both hands, absorbing the hit and moving my feet to push you off of me, slashing the air in warning as you take a step to the side.  Ignoring Robert and Victor who have taken to cheering for you, I lunge forward and swing my sword towards your ribs, gritting my teeth as you manage to bring your sword down to knock mine down and away from your body, my momentum bringing me close enough for you to connect with a quick kick to my thigh.

“Good girl, just like I taught you.”

Backing away from you, I glare at Robert over my shoulder, my voice almost a growl, “Traitor.”

At Robert’s bow, I hear you laugh behind me and take advantage of the distraction to swing my sword at you in rapid succession, feeling pride as you manage to block most of the attacks, eventually succumbing to a well-timed combination, my sword coming to rest against the side of your neck as you kneel on one knee.

Grinning as you incline your head in graceful defeat, I bring my sword to the side, reaching one hand out to help pull you to your feet.  Without warning, you continue with your momentum and kick my sword from my hand, knocking your shoulder into my midsection as you reach for a dagger hidden in your boot.  The next minute finds me on my back with your dagger at my heart, your other hand pinning my arm to the side as you kneel across my legs, your voice labored with your heavy breathing, “Always finish your opponent, San.”

Relaxing against the ground, I raise my middle finger to Robert and Victor who I can hear whooping and hollering over your shoulder, my voice curious as I look up at you, “So you would have liked me to lop your head off right then, is that it?”

Moving the dagger from above my chest, you tuck it back inside your boot and shift to kneel next to me, watching as I sit up, your brow furrowed as you answer me, “Well, no.  Of course not.  But Robert taught me to always follow through, even when you think you’ve been bested.”

I catch Robert’s proud smile and feel myself smiling back despite my playful irritation with him.  Reaching up to brush some of your sweaty hair away from your face, I sweep my thumb against a smudge of dirt on your cheek, lowering my voice as I speak to you, “He’s right.  But don’t tell him I said that.”

“I can still hear you, you know.  Vampire hearing and all that.”

Rolling my eyes, I rise to my feet and pick up my sword, handing yours to you as you stand up next to me.  Sheathing the weapon, I walk over to where Cian is standing, having wandered over to watch our training session, accepting a flask with gratitude.  Both of us watch as you talk animatedly with Robert and Victor, your smile wide as Robert claps you on the back.

“She’s good, Santana.”

Without taking my eyes from you, I nod my head at Cian’s assessment, my smile falling as the reason for your lesson tonight starts to worm its way into my brain.  We both watch as Robert moves to stand beside you, continuing the training as he corrects one of your stances, my voice low as I speak to Cian, “I can only hope it’s enough.  We leave in a few days and I’m not sure these final training sessions will be enough to make sure she…”

Cian reaches out to hold onto my shoulders, turning me to face him as I trail off, his eyes full of understanding as he talks over my sigh, “You and Robert have done all you can for her, and for the others, and they are ready.  This battle is coming, darling.  I know if you could, you’d march up that mountain and fight them yourself to spare all of us whatever fate waits for us up there.  But you can’t.  We’ve all lost someone, we’ve all lost a bit of ourselves, and each of us deserves the right to take our revenge against Lucas and Kaitlin and those that stand with them.”

I can feel the intensity of Cian’s stare and I draw comfort from his conviction, shaking off the doubts in my head and letting my trust in him and everyone else around me take its place.  Handing the flask back, I pull him into a hug, resting my hand against the back of his neck as he returns my embrace, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Cian.”

“Nor I you, my darling.”

Taking a deep breath, I pull away from his hug and turn at the sound of your goodbyes to Robert and Victor, reaching my hand back for you to take as you come to stand at my side, addressing Cian as he goes to leave, “Where are you off to now?”

“I’m heading back to work with Rebekkah.  She’s working on incantations for the weapons that will set them on fire on the owners’ command.”

“Does it work?”

“Too well.  She’s yet to figure out how to make sure the fire doesn’t continue down the arm of the person holding the weapon.”

“She should, uh, probably work on that.”

“Ever the wordsmith, Santana,” Cian’s voice is playful as he takes his leave, heading towards the building that houses Rebekkah and her work space.

Looking up at the stars, I laugh as you reach up to tickle the side of my neck.  Bringing your hand up to kiss your fingers, I start to walk towards the makeshift armory, content to just hold your hand as we walk through the town.  After a few minutes spent handing our weapons over to be cleaned and checked for damage, we resume our quiet walk, my thoughts wandering to a stop as I realize you’ve brought us over to the stables.  With a smile, you let go of my hand and head further into the structure, rooting around inside one of the bags before gesturing me over to where Asim is stabled.  Running my hands over his muzzle, I laugh as he nudges my hand away from him, stretching his neck forward for the apple you’re holding up to him.  Taking the other apple from your hand, I draw Asim’s attention back to me, playfully glaring at you as you lean against the wall, “You’re going to spoil my fierce warhorse.  He’s going to grow fat and complacent, content to just wait around for you to feed him apples all night.”

You point to my hand holding the other apple, Asim happily lipping it from my hand and crunching away, and roll your eyes at me, “You just gave him an apple.”

“Well, I can’t have him favoring you over me.”

“Like that could ever happen.”

Reaching forward to take your hand, I pull you away from his stall, backing up towards the back wall and pulling you against me, dropping my hands to grip your waist, “If it makes you feel better, you’re _my_ favorite.”

Grinning at me, you brace your elbows next to my head, your palms pressing flat against the wall as you press yourself closer to me, your lips brushing against mine as you speak, “Oh yeah?  I think you’re only being nice to me because I didn’t stake you earlier.”

Kissing your bottom lip, I pull back and rest my head against the wall, shifting my leg between yours and huffing out a breath as you lean into the pressure, “Valid point. Maybe I should reward you for your restraint.”

You brush your lips across my cheek and rest your mouth below my ear, absorbing my soft moan with a smile as you rub your breasts against mine, “That sounds like a good idea, San.  What did you have in mind?”

Reaching my hands around your waist, I press my fingers against your lower back, pushing my thigh tighter against your center as you start to grind slowly against me, “First, I was thinking that I could push you up against the wall I’m leaning on.”

I close my eyes as I feel you drag your teeth against the side of my neck, your tongue licking against the sweat on my skin before leaning back to look at me, “That sounds like a good start.  And then what?”

Pushing off with my shoulders, I turn you so that your back is now flush against the wall, my knee pressing high against the wood as I grip your hips and keep rocking you back and forth against my leg, nibbling on your bottom lip as I answer you, “Then I’d make you slowly unbutton your shirt.”

Groaning, you catch my lip with your teeth, tugging gently before frowning playfully at me, “Why aren’t you the one unbuttoning my shirt?”

“Because I’ll be too busy dropping to my knees to slide your pants open,” Smirking as your gasp dissolves into a moan, I dip my fingers under your waistband and slowly lower myself to my knees, pressing a kiss against your center.  Looking up as you start to unbutton your shirt, I keep watching you as more and more skin gets exposed, opening my mouth to run my tongue above your hipbone.  Groaning as your shirt flutters open, I close my eyes as your hands rake through my hair, pressing me closer to your center as I start to slide my thumb against the button holding your pants together, your breath rushing across my face as it starts to slip through the opening.

Suddenly, a large boom sounds outside the stables and I pull away from your stomach quickly, faintly hearing Asim’s agitated chuffing as I stand, your vampire speed allowing for your shirt to be buttoned in seconds as we both race towards the sound, skidding to a halt as Cian appears out of a cloud of smoke billowing out in front of one of the buildings.

Coughing harshly, he waves his hand at the smoke around him, gratefully accepting a flask of water from one of the men nearby.  Walking over to his side, I let him hold onto my shoulder, his weight leaning against me as he tries to catch his breath, my question barely audible over his coughing, “Cian, what the hell happened?”

Before he can answer, Rebekkah emerges from the building as the last of the smoke dissipates, the left side of her face smudged with soot and pulling up into a bashful smile, “I’ve got good news and bad news.  The good news is I figured out how to get the weapons to flame without harming the user.”

“And the bad news?”

Cian answers for her, handing Rebekkah the water as he pats my shoulder and straightens up, “The top level of that building now has a sky light.”

“I do apologize for that.  Once we track down the owner of the building, I can make reparations,” Smiling and handing the water back to the Cian, Rebekkah gestures for him to follow her.  “But first, we should head over to the armory so I can speak with Robert.  We need to figure out the best way to enchant all the weapons.  I’m thinking that perhaps casting the spell outside will be best.”

Laughing as Cian turns to look at me over his shoulder, I wave at him and gesture at the black streaks across his face, accepting his rude gesture with a smile.  Looking around, I spot you off to the side speaking with David, your face happy and animated as you nod your head at whatever it is he is saying to you.  Waving me over, you clutch my hand when I get close enough and pull me to your side, tapping David’s shoulder as you incline your head towards me, “Ask her.”

“Ask me what?”

David’s smile is timid as he looks first at you before running a hand over his messy hair, his voice just as bashful as his smile, “Well, some of us were thinking…I mean, we all know that most of us are leaving for the Kersk Mountains in just about two days and everyone has been working hard to get the weapons ready and get the supplies ready and it’s just that…we thought that maybe, you know…with what could happen, we could…you know…”

“Have a celebration feast!”  Your excited voice cuts your cousin’s rambling off and with a relieved laugh, he nods his head at your exclamation.

Scrunching my forehead, I look between two pairs of matching blue eyes, the excitement in them causing the corner of my mouth to tip up despite my confusion, “A feast?”

“Yeah, San,” You grab both my hands, swinging them between us as a few of the other men meander over with interested faces.  Finally cracking a smile at your exuberance, I tighten my arms to stop them from swinging, holding onto to some of my leadership dignity as you continue to speak, “One night to just not think about what’s going to happen when we finally leave here but instead celebrate and just be together.  We’ve got enough food for everyone and you know, we have our _stuff_ for us.  And a few of Victor’s men are musicians and there’s wine and whiskey and can we?”

Looking at the people around me, crates and weapons carried amongst them, dirt and sweat across their faces despite the time of night, I sense the wisdom in yours and David’s suggestion.  None of us really know what we might be facing when we finally cross the threshold into Lucas’ encampment in a couple of days and I can see the truth of that on the faces of the people who have chosen to see this through to the end.  Each of the men and women here have their own reasons for leaving their homes to come risk everything so that their families and friends can live without fear and they’ve faithfully followed and sacrificed to get us to this point. 

I catch Declan towards the back of the crowd and his small smile somehow reassures me that taking a break for a night, instead of continuing to push everyone to prepare, is the right decision.  Clapping David on the shoulder, I smile at both of you, raising my voice loud enough so that the others can hear my words, “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.  Come nightfall tomorrow, let’s throw a feast that none of us will ever forget.”

 

* * *

 

Being the leader meant I was forced to join the feast the next night as it was already in progress, your pout as you walked off with Rebekkah and Cian driving me to wrap up my meeting with Bastian and Victor as fast as possible.  Eventually forcefully pulling them both out of the meeting room with me, I banned all talk of the upcoming battle until the next day and ordered them to relax and have a little fun.  With mock salutes and cheeky smiles, they headed off towards the bonfires lit in the center of town as I followed behind them at a more leisurely pace, content to observe the sight of smiles on everyone’s faces as music and laughter filled the courtyard.

Following Robert’s loud bellow of my name, I head over in his direction, my eyes scanning the crowd for you even as I smile and reach out for the mug of whiskey in Robert’s hand, “Have you seen Brittany?”

Doing a double take at Robert’s smirk, I start to repeat my question only to have him grab my shoulders and turn me around, the whiskey sloshing over my hand as it drops forgotten to the ground, Robert’s chiding voice a faint buzzing in my ears, “Damn shame to waste all that good whiskey, Santana.”

I tune him and everything else out as my eyes find you moving in a small circle of dancers, your smile illuminated by the torches set around the perimeter of what looks to be a makeshift dance floor, David’s hand firmly in yours as he spins you around before you both step back in an intricate series of steps.  Moving along the line of people, I watch as you and the others perform what appears to be some kind of traditional dance, the familiarity of it tickling the edges of my memory.  On the next turn, your eyes find mine and all thoughts are chased from my head at the sight of you dancing towards me, your simple dress doing nothing to hide the beauty and grace of your movements.  Your hair had been up when you had left me earlier but now it flows around your shoulders, sliding over your face as you execute a half turn and smile, curtsying to the gentleman across from you before spinning back towards me.

Teasing me, I feel Robert playfully knock his shoulder into mine, his wolf-whistle ending on a choked cough as the back of my fist finds his belly, my eyes never moving from your face.  You’ve never seemed more beautiful to me than in this moment, your body moving to the violins and drums I can hear to my left, your face bright with joy but your eyes dark as they remain on my face.  I can sense you shifting our connection, allowing me to feel everything as you continue to dance, performing the expected moves with ease and a smile for your partner but I know that you are dancing for me.  Taking a moment to look down as one of the dancers turns you away from me, I suddenly feel self-conscious in my plain trousers and working shirt, the edges of my sleeves still smudged with ink from working earlier on the map of the mountain pass.  Rubbing my wrist against the top of my leg, I look up to find you watching me, your smile soft as you again dance with your cousin, your thoughts winding their way into my head.

_You look beautiful, San._

_Then you are mistaken in your definition of the word, love.  You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen._

I catch your blush as you stop dancing, the music coming to an end to a chorus of applause and cheers, you and the other dancers dutifully taking your bows and curtsies before you walk over to me.  Smiling at you, I open my mouth to compliment your dancing only to find your fists buried in my hair as you take my mouth in a heated kiss, my pulse pounding between my legs as your thoughts barrel through me.  Almost as soon as the kiss begins, it’s over and I’m left lightly panting as you accept a cup of honey wine from Robert with a grin.  His loud laugh follows us as you take my hand and pull me a little bit away from the crowd, the sounds of the next round of music starting up as people shuffle around us to head to the dance floor.

Taking a healthy sip of your wine, you watch me over the rim of the cup, your thumb pressing against my racing pulse at my wrist as I bring my other hand to brush the backs of my fingers against your ribs.  Licking your lips, you lean forward and kiss me, more softly this time as you share the taste of the wine on your tongue, your hand still holding mine at your side.  Leaving me breathless again, you pull back with a smile, your eyes roaming my face as you take a small step closer to me, “You’re the most beautiful person here.”

“I find that hard to believe seeing as how you’re standing right in front of me and there is nobody more beautiful than you.”

Again I’m treated to the sight of your blush and I can’t help but close the distance between us and press my lips against your cheek, sighing softly as you release my hand and gently pull me into a hug.  Keeping my lips pressed against your cheek, I slide my hands across your back, feeling you moan slightly as our breasts brush together, “San, you know you never finished telling me what my reward was going to be from earlier.”

“Not staking me should be its own reward, love.”

Giggling at that, you lean back in my embrace, handing your cup of wine to Bastian with a smile as he walks past us, both of us laughing as he salutes us with the glass before continuing on his way.  Still grinning, you bring your hands to rest on top of my shoulders, your fingers sliding slowly towards the first button of my shirt as I feel your desire start to warm my skin, “I can think of something else that would be an even better reward.”

Arching my eyebrow as you pop open the first button, I squeeze your waist in warning as I take a subtle look around us, the crowd of people still too heavy for my liking, “I’m sure that whatever it is doesn’t involve everyone else at this feast.”

I suck in a breath as your blue eyes spark with mischief, my second button coming dangerously close to opening as well as your fingers continue to slide across the top of my chest, “It could.”

“Brittany!” My harsh whisper causes you to laugh, your forehead falling to my shoulder as you press a playful kiss to the side of my neck, your hands holding tight to my shirt.  Placing a kiss against your temple, I look over your shoulder and spot Declan leaning against one of the buildings, the light from the bonfires barely reaching his face.  The tingling from earlier blooms fully in my memory and I step back slowly, placing a soft kiss to your lips as my hands reach up to hold onto yours as I glance back over your shoulder, “Will you do me a favor, love?”

“Go speak with him, San.  I’ll be here when you get back.”

Cupping your cheek, I run my thumb over your bottom lip, leaning up to kiss you again so I can whisper against your lips, “Save me a dance, okay?”

I feel you smile into the kiss and nod your head, stepping away from me and walking to where Cian and your cousin David are talking.  Heading over to where Declan is standing, he meets my gaze and inclines his head for me to walk with him, both of us falling into step with familiar ease as we head towards the house by the stables.  Content to walk in silence until we reach the house, I slide my hands into my pockets, leaning against the railing of the porch stairs as Declan takes a seat on the steps.  A few minutes pass with us just listening to the sounds of everyone in the courtyard, Declan’s voice soft when he finally speaks, “That dance…it was the first one we danced to on the night Sara and I got married.”

Stepping away from the railing, I take a seat next to Declan on the steps, both of us staring back towards the celebration with eyes seeing a different time and place, “I remember.  She looked so pretty and you were so handsome in your fine suit.”

Reaching over at Declan’s shuddering breath, I rest my arm across his shoulders, keeping my gaze forward as he reaches up to run a hand across his eyes, “I can still see her so clearly when I close my eyes, Santana.  I feel like she’s still here with me.”

Squeezing Declan’s shoulder, I lean over and kiss his cheek with sisterly affection, pulling back to look at him, “A part of her will always be with you, Declan.  She was loved by everyone who knew her and we’ll all carry her memory with us for the rest of our lives.”

Nodding his head, Declan reaches up to pat my hand at his shoulder, standing slowly and waiting for me to do the same, “If it’s okay with you, I think I’m going to head up to my room.”

“Are you sure?  I can stay here with you for a while, if you’d like.”

Kissing my forehead, Declan lightly nudges me back towards the celebration, granting me a small smile as he shakes his head, “No, go on and enjoy the celebration and go dance with Brittany.  I’ll be okay.”

Looking into his eyes, I try to judge the honesty of his words, needing to make sure before I leave him alone, “You promise?”

“I promise.  I just…all these memories that are coming back…I feel close to her remembering them.  I just want to have that before everything that’s going to happen.”

“Okay, Declan.  Okay,” Returning his smile, I tuck my hands into my pockets and turn around to walk back to the courtyard, watching over my shoulder as he turns and heads into the building.  Looking up into the night sky, I say a quick prayer that Declan finds peace tonight in his thoughts of Sara, smiling as the stars seem to twinkle in response to my request.

 

* * *

 

Heading back into the thick of the celebration, I find you still talking with Cian and David, two glasses of wine in your hand and a smile on your face as you watch me walk over to you.  Handing me one of the glasses, you drop your free hand to my lower back, your thumb pressing lightly into the muscles there as you go back to listening to David and Cian’s conversation.

Cian’s sudden laugh draws all of our attention and without hesitation, he points over my shoulder, all of us turning around to see what’s so amusing.  Snorting into my wine glass, we all watch as Rebekkah leads Robert around the dance floor, the blush on his face seeming to burn right across his bald head.  Indulging in some payback, I jokingly call out encouragements to him as they pass close enough to where we are standing, Rebekkah’s laugh turning Robert’s glare into an awkward grimace as she smiles up at him.  Tipping my glass to him, I relax against you as you press up against my back, your arm going around my waist as you discreetly nuzzle against my cheek.

_You shouldn’t tease him so much, San._

_Me?  You should have heard what he was saying to me while I watched you dance._

_Did you like watching me dance?_

I cover my slight moan with the wine glass as you subtly shift your hips behind me, swaying us to the beat of the music as you cheer Robert on, your innocent display disguising the intensity of your thoughts.

_I liked having you watch me as I danced.  Your eyes burned the way they do when you’re moving above me in our bed._

_Brittany…_

_Would you like me to dance for you?_

Your hips press harder into me as your fingers spread wider against my ribs, warmth flushing my body and forcing my teeth to click down behind my closed lips, my only refuge the wine glass as you continue to tease me with your thoughts.

_I’d like to dance for you, your hands on my waist as I slowly unbutton my dress and slide it from my shoulders, reaching out to hold your head and guide you to my…_

With a sputter, I choke on my sip of wine, your knowing chuckle causing me to take a deep breath and force my teeth to retract, closing my eyes briefly as I let them turn back into my normal brown.  Placing my wine glass onto a nearby table, I step away from you and reach back for your hand, walking us away from the dance floor and towards our room.

“Goodnight, Santana,” Cian’s knowing voice calls out and I take a quick glance over my shoulder, David’s blush an interesting contrast to Cian’s wink, a round of applause greeting the dancers as they leave the dance floor.  Rolling my eyes, I smirk at Cian as I turn back around, pulling you with me as my body starts to burn with arousal, your own desire nearly causing me to break out into a sprint.

 

* * *

 

Rushing down the stairs to our room, I nearly stumble into the door as you use your momentum to push me against the wall, your hands burying themselves into my hair as you slant your mouth against my lips, your tongue gliding smoothly over mine.  Palming your breast with one hand, I reach the other one to the side, my fingers scrabbling for the door handle for a few frustrating seconds before finally succeeding in turning and pushing the door open.  Never breaking our kiss, I wrap my arms around your waist and lift you up, adjusting my grip to the outside of your thighs as you wrap your legs around my hips, your hand reaching back to swing the door shut as I back up into the room.

As soon as the door shuts, I rush forward and slam your back into the wood, absorbing your moan with my mouth while your fingers dig into my shoulders.  Reaching between us, I work my fingers across the buttons of your dress, groaning in frustration as the tiny buttons slip against my trembling fingers.  Gasping as you reach up and yank my mouth out of our kiss, your eyes are dark as you press your shoulders against the door, tightening your legs around my waist as your teeth click down in a rush, “Just rip it off, Santana.  I need to feel you.”

Growling at your command, I press my hips hard between yours and brace your weight against the door, grabbing onto the dress and ripping the fabric down the middle, the sporadic sound of buttons hitting the floor barely audible over the sound of our panting breaths.  Clutching the dress where it’s bunched between our bellies, I pull hard and grin in satisfaction as the rest of the dress falls to the floor at my feet, my eyes shifting quickly to ochre at the site of your bare breasts.  Returning the favor, you reach down and yank my shirt out of my pants, barely a second passing before the tattered fabric joins your dress on the floor, one hand going to grip the back of my neck as you reach back and push off the door, your blue eyes turning light as you press your clothed center against my stomach, “Bed.  Now.”

Walking until the backs of my knees hit the bed, I sit on the mattress as you bring your legs from around my waist and push at my shoulders with your hands, moving to kneel between my legs as your fingers go to the edge of my waistband.  Pressing against the mattress, I lift my hips as you pull my underwear down along with my pants, removing my shoes and tossing everything to the side before placing your hands on top of my thighs as I sit up to face you.  I can only grip the blanket as you slowly slide your thumbs against my inner thighs, your devious smile prompting me to bring my arms around your back as you lean up and kiss me, your pendant clinking dully against mine as you press our breasts together.  My fingernails scrape across your skin as your hands grip my waist and pull me to the edge of the bed, your lips trailing across my throat and down across my chest, my nipple sucked into your warm mouth as my head drops back, my hair brushing across my back.  Sliding one hand to cup the back of your head, I rest my other hand against the blanket, my hips starting to move helplessly against the bed.  I feel your teeth nip against my skin and I bring my head down to find you watching me, a small smirk curling the edge of your lips before your mouth opens again, pulling my other nipple against your tongue as I pant above you.

Pressing my toes into the floor, I spread my legs wider, watching as your eyes close on a groan at the smell of my arousal, your hands dropping to the floor between my legs as you drag your tongue down my stomach.  Settling back on your heels, you turn your head and press soft kisses against my inner thigh, my hand curving against your jaw as I try to guide you where I want you, my voice rough as I beg you, “Please, love.”

Kissing my other thigh, you rub your cheek against my skin, your voice sly as the moonlight illuminates the ochre of your eyes, “Please what?”

“I need your mouth on me.”

“It _is_ on you, San,” Punctuating your response with another kiss, this time a little bit higher inside my thigh, I feel my heart race with the look in your eyes, my stomach clenching in anticipation.  With a heavy breath, you drag your lips slowly across my center before dropping a kiss against my other leg, my nipples tightening against the brief rush of pleasure.

“Brittany, don’t tease me…I need… _that_ ,” My groan drops my mouth open as you finally slide your tongue against my wetness, your hands reaching up to hold my hips steady, your forearms resting against my legs and keeping me open as your tongue starts to move in slow circles.

Your skin looks almost ethereal under the moonlight and I feel my chest pound at the sight of you on your knees before me, your mouth warm and wet as you purse your lips and drag your bottom lip against my clit, my hips jolting under your hands.  Repeating the motion a few more times before licking softly at my entrance, I’m forced to bring my other hand to my side, the blanket fisted in my hands as I arch my head back and start to rock my hips against the pressure, my stomach muscles fluttering with every pass of your tongue against me.  With my eyes closed, I’m unprepared for the feeling of you pressing inside me with your finger, your lips sucking softly on my clit as you slowly stroke inside me.  Dropping my chin to my chest, I curve my hand under your jaw and bring you up into a deep kiss, moaning against your tongue as you slide another finger inside me, your palm pressing against my clit as my hips keep the rhythm you’re setting.

I can feel the tightening in my stomach growing stronger, your fingers curling and driving me closer to my orgasm.  Pulling away from our kiss, I guide your lips to the top of my shoulder close to my neck, resting my cheek against the top of your head as I feel you open your mouth against my skin.  The pleasure inside me spirals quickly at the feel of your teeth pressing into my shoulder, my orgasm tumbling hard before crashing inside me as your fingers continue to move between my legs.  As I groan out my release into the room, your teeth break the skin, my blood slipping into your mouth as you whimper, your tongue chasing the pleasure in my blood.  Eventually, your fingers come to rest inside me, your lips pursing into a wet kiss as you lick at the puncture wounds in my shoulder, reaching with your other hand to rub your thumb against a few errant drops that escape before the marks close.

Biting my lip as you slip your fingers from inside me, I fall onto my back on the bed, moving towards the center and watching in a daze as you stand and remove your underwear and shoes, climbing onto the bed to straddle my waist.  Bracing your hands above my shoulders, you lean down and softly kiss me, my center clenching at the taste of my blood on your lips.  Reaching my hands up, I brush my thumbs against your nipples, the action causing you to grind your hips against my stomach, your kiss growing uncoordinated as I brace my feet against the bed to provide more pressure against your center.  You finally end the kiss and my hands follow you as you sit up, my fingers digging into your waist and lifting you up, as your hands cup your own breasts.  Licking my lips, I slide one hand across your lower stomach, turning my wrist and rubbing my fingertips against your wetness, your legs trembling as you look down to watch me as I touch you.

Spreading your knees wider, you sink down against my fingers, your eyes finding mine as I answer your unspoken request to slide inside you, the back of my hand bracing against my leg as you start to move on top of me.  I can feel your wetness against my palm and I swallow hard against the need to push you onto your back and bury my mouth against you, choosing instead to let you take your pleasure, my eyes trailing over your body as you start to move with more purpose.  Grunting a bit as your hands drop to press against my ribs, I feel my heart race as the delicate lines of your muscles flex and contract as you move, my name escaping your lips on a breathless moan.

I bring my free hand up to brush against your cheek, my breath catching as you turn your head and suck my thumb into your mouth, your sharp teeth teasing against the skin as your soft tongue scrambles my thoughts.  Being inside you this way, your insides clenching quicker and quicker against my fingers as your hips start to grind harder against me, has echoes of my orgasm starting to pound between my legs.  Grinning down at me as you sense my pleasure through our connection, you reach up and slowly remove my thumb from your mouth, sliding your hand from my ribs to press against the mattress at my side.  You bring my hand to rest against your waist as you lean down and kiss me once, replacing your mouth with your wrist as I turn my head and open my mouth, your eyes watching me as you start to move faster and faster.

“Bite me, San.  Now, God please…”

With a rush of wetness against my fingertips, I feel your orgasm pulling at me, your eyes fluttering as I sink my teeth into the delicate flesh at your wrist, your blood pooling in my mouth as I bring my hand up to hold you tight against my teeth.  Sucking softly, I close my eyes against the taste of you, your pleasure sweet in my mouth as your hips rock slower and slower against my fingers before stopping all together, your slightly sweaty forehead coming to rest against my cheek as you bring your arm above my head.  Licking the wounds closed, I release your wrist and turn my head, humming into your kiss as you lift your hips to allow me to remove my fingers, my hand curling around your waist as you cuddle against my side.

Turning my body towards you, I keep my lips pressed against your hair as your leg slides between mine, your arm wrapping around my back as I pull you close against me, smiling as I hear your teeth retract as you start to relax.  Inhaling deeply, I feel my teeth and eyes change back, looking down as you tilt your head back, your blue eyes clear as they stare back at me.

I can feel words building up inside me, anxious words and beautiful words, sentences full of promises and vows, and all of them speaking to the truth of my love for you.  Your hand reaches up to press gently against my lips, the understanding in your eyes easing the pressure in my chest as you smile softly at me.  Tracing my fingers across your smile, I keep my hand pressed lightly against your cheek, content to look into your eyes and just feel your body close to mine as the night marches us ever closer to the upcoming battle.


	18. Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After days of preparation, Santana, Brittany, and the rest of the group finally make their way to Lucas' camp to take their revenge and end his reign of terror forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.
> 
> A/N: WARNING: As this chapter covers some of the battle, there will be violence in this chapter. I tried to not make it so detailed and graphic that it is excessive but at the same time, I tried to write enough details to hopefully give a sense of action to the story. I hope there's enough of a balance but I'll send out two apologies to people reading this story – one apology for those who might have been hoping for more active/intense battle scenes and one apology for those who think there was too much action. :-) And to cover all my bases, a general apology to those who think I had a right to be apprehensive about writing a battle scene all together. *lol*
> 
> Thanks to those of you sticking with the story…I hope I've done the build-up justice. :-)

“Do you think he knows we’re here?”

At Bastian’s question, I look over at the trail leading up the mountain, keeping my hands soothing along Asim’s flank as you secure his reins to one of the trees, the other horses we used for traveling getting tethered in the same way.  Your hand brushes over mine and draws my attention back to you, your eyes soft as you keep both our hands pressed to Asim’s side, stilling my nervous motions.

_He’ll be here when we return, Santana._

_I know._

You rub your thumb across my hand at my slightly defensive tone and I sigh at the caress, smiling at you as you press a quick kiss to my cheek, walking past me to go join Cian and Rebekkah a little further up the trail.  Heedless of the company, I run my hands across Asim’s neck, kissing his head as he bumps me with his nose, “You stay here and wait for me, my sweet boy.  I’ll be back soon.”

Finally addressing Bastian’s question, I tighten my belt as I adjust the sword in my sheath, signaling for him to follow me as we make our way to join the others, “Oh, he knows we’re here.  Our scouts indicated that he hasn’t moved from his encampment in two days and even if that wasn’t the case, I have no doubt that Kaitlin now knows her sister is near.  They could have moved on at any time but they have waited here, probably wanting this fight and believing it will be an easy victory.”

Snorting at that, Bastian squeezes my shoulder as he breaks away from me to join Robert by the weapons cart, his voice light even as his eyes remain serious, “Fuck him and his easy victory.”

“Eloquent one, our Bastian, isn’t he?”

With a small smile, I nod my head at Cian’s observation, pulling a leather strip from my pocket and reaching up to tie my hair back in a ponytail, watching as you do the same.  Gesturing to the group of men and woman gathered around us, I lower my voice as I step closer to Cian, “Are they ready?”

“As they’ll ever be, darling.”

Meeting Rebekkah’s gaze over Cian’s shoulder, I jerk my chin towards the mountain, noting with admiration as she lifts her chin at my question, “Are _you_ ready?”

“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for many years, Santana.  I’m ready.”

Before I can turn to speak to you, Rebekkah’s calm voice gets my attention and I meet her heavy look with one of my own, “This isn’t just about revenge for me and my family, you know.  I want you to know that.  I won’t let you down up there.”

Stepping around Cian, I rest my hand on Rebekkah’s shoulder, my fingers lightly squeezing in reassurance as I nod my head once, “I know you won’t.  I trust you, Rebekkah.”

The clanging of weapons gets my attention and I step away from Rebekkah and look over as the last of Victor’s men make their way to us.  According to my scouts, we stand in almost equal number to those gathered with Lucas and Kaitlin and, as I watch everyone fall into place, I feel the first rush of adrenaline as my body prepares for a fight. 

Dispatching Robert, Victor, and Bastian to go over final instructions with the men and woman behind me, I walk over and place my hand against your lower back, guiding you away from the group for a moment of privacy.  Standing in front of you, I take a few moments to settle my nerves and keep my hands busy with checking your sword and sheath, bending to secure the dagger in your boot before your hand gently reaches under my chin to pull me up, guiding me into a soft kiss.  Resting my hands against your chest, I pull away from the kiss, brushing my thumbs against the pendant under your shirt as your hands find their way to my waist.

I finally break the silence, my eyes picking up the unfamiliar color of another necklace around your neck, “What is that, Brittany?”

Pulling the second necklace from under your shirt, you rub your thumb over the bear tooth tied to the end of it, letting it drop against your shirt as you answer my question, “It’s David’s.  My uncle gave it to him when David was a little boy and he wanted me to have it, like a good luck charm for protection I guess.  I took it, of course, though told him I have my own teeth to protect me.”

Smiling a little at that, I slip the necklace back under your shirt, dropping my hands down to hold yours as I take a step closer, holding your gaze as you look at me, “A little extra protection never hurts, love.”

Your breath catches slightly at my words, prompting me to pull you into an embrace as your arms wrap around my back, your hands holding tight to my shirt as you speak, “He should have kept it, San.  I don’t know what’s worse, not having him here with me or having him away from the fighting but somewhere I can’t protect him.”

Shuffling us a little further into the trees lining the mountain path, I give us a little more privacy as I lean back and cup your face in my hands, my voice reassuring as I place a small kiss on your lips, “Your cousin is a good fighter and we left behind a strong group of men to watch over Brogan’s Point.  Lucas’ men would have to get through all of us to even get close to David and there’s no way we are letting that happen.”

“Is this what you felt like when you left me to go after Declan?”

“What I did was worse, and felt worse, because I never gave you a choice.  I left because I thought I was protecting you, Brittany.  David made his own choice to stay behind and protect the people of Brogan’s Point and, should we fail, he made the choice to be part of the force that is standing between Lucas and his victory.  Your cousin is one of the bravest people I know.”

Stepping forward you pull me into a hug, your breath unsteady as you keep your cheek pressed to mine, “I don’t want anything to happen to him.”

I rub my hands softly up and down your back, ignoring the anxious stirrings of the people behind you as I turn my head slightly and press my lips to your ear, “I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that the only ones returning from this battle are those standing beside us right now.”

“I know.  I know you will, San.”

Your arms tighten against me and I return the gesture, my palms flat against your back as I indulge in a moment of selfishness, drawing strength and comfort from the feel of you against me.  My eyes catch Cian’s through the trees and the ochre in them lets me know that the time has come for us to finally make our way up the mountain.  Holding my hand up to indicate that I’d be right there, I keep my lips close to your ear as I drop my hands to your waist, “Brittany, it’s time.”

I can feel your heart jump against my chest and I quickly block my own anxiety from you, letting only my love and trust in you flow through our connection.  Taking a small step back, I keep my hands on your waist as your hands slide down my shoulders to hold tight to my forearms, your eyes only for me as the others start to get ready to move.  Tilting my head back slightly, I keep my eyes on you as I make this last request before battle, “I want you to bite me.  Take some of my blood.”

Your eyes widen at the request and despite the situation, I can’t help but smile slightly at the blush taking over your features as you look around at the people behind us, “San, right here in front of everyone?”

Tightening my hands on your waist, I nod my head, letting my eyes turn as I answer you, “I don’t care if they see.  This will only strengthen our connection, sweetheart.  We’ll need that when things get hectic up there and…I just…please, just drink from me once more before we leave.”

Lifting your wrist, you place it gently against my mouth, your eyes turning golden as your teeth extend, “Together.”

My heart races as we share a look between us, the word ‘together’ seeming to encompass more than just its basic meaning.  Acknowledging all that you are saying with that one word, I nod my head and close my eyes, my teeth sinking into your flesh just as your teeth pierce my neck.  Our feeding is soft and gentle and as we each pull away, my hands go to your face, pulling you forward into a kiss, the love between us racing in my veins and filling me with confidence.  Ending the kiss with a smile, I keep my hands on your face as my thumb brushes against your cheek, “My beautiful girl.  I love you so much, so very much.  Whatever happens up there, you try and stay close to me, no matter what.  You hear me?”

Returning my smile, you brush your hands along my ribs before resting one hand against my heart, your other hand resting on top of the hilt of my sword, “My brave girl.  I love you too, Santana, with all that I am.  I’ll be close to you, no matter what.”

Tightening my fingertips against your jaw, I pull you forward into a hard kiss, inhaling deeply before pulling away, dropping my hands to touch your hand on my sword, both of us smiling as I summon all my bravado and squeeze your hand, “Let’s go kick some ass.”

 

* * *

 

The march towards Lucas’ encampment is mostly quiet, the talking muted due to nerves and focus, all of us joined together in the realization that years of hard work and fighting are about to come to a head.  Spotting the familiar colors of our scouts, I gesture for you, Cian, and Rebekkah to follow me, the others hanging back with the rest of the men and women.  Shaking his hand, I greet one of our scouts, inclining me head to the curve in the pass ahead of us, “Logan, what’s the situation?”

“They seem settled in for the night, Santana.  Their perimeter patrol is as it’s been for the past few nights.  Though we believe their main camp has moved a little further up the mountain than we initially saw on our first inspection.  However, their numbers appear to remain the same as they were at last count as we haven’t seen any movement on this side of the pass nor the other. ”

Cian’s voice is slightly incredulous as he motions towards the direction of the encampment, “Is it actually possible we’ll have the element of surprise on our hands?  The Fates must be feeling generous.”

“I wouldn’t count our fortunes so quickly, Cian.  The same magic that Rebekkah to allow our scouts to travel to the other side of the pass is the same magic that might allow them to swell their ranks, thanks to Kaitlin.  We should expect more but be grateful with the same.”

“Or less.”

“What?”

Logan address my question with blush, looking over at one of the other scouts before turning back to answer me, “When we used the spell to transport for a brief moment to the other side, we sort of…misjudged the distance and appeared in full sight of two of Lucas’ scouts.  We dispatched them quickly and dispersed their ashes in the underbrush before their scouts could see us and be alerted.  I think.”

Staring hard at Logan, I look over as Cian touches my arm, his words dispelling a small amount of my tension, “It _is_ possible Lucas will believe they deserted him and it won’t raise any suspicion, Santana.”

I feel your calming presence through our connection and I meet your eyes briefly before speaking again, “Well, it won’t really matter anyway.  There’s no turning back now.”

“That’s the spirit, darling.”

Granting Cian a small smile at his attempt at levity, I turn around at the sound of approaching footsteps, meeting Declan and Robert’s gazes as they come to stand behind you.  Dismissing Logan and the other scouts so they can join the rest of the group, I ask Cian and Rebekkah to give us a moment, gesturing for Robert and Declan to stay with us.

“Aw, you’re not going to give us a big rousing speech, are you now, Santana?” Robert’s voice is lighthearted as he exchanges a smile with Declan, your own smile joining theirs as all three of you face me.

Clearing my throat, I look down at my boots, feeling my cheeks flush as I answer him, “Well…not a _big_ speech exactly.”

I feel you reach down to hold my hand as you rest your shoulder against mine, Robert and Declan coming to stand before us, completing our little group as Declan speaks for both he and Robert, “What did you want to say, Santana?”

Looking at Robert and Declan in front of me, I feel a hard ache in my chest, the thought of losing either of them stealing my breath for a moment as I take a second to gather my thoughts, “I just want you both to know that for all these many years, you have been more like brothers to me than anything else our sire bond might imply.  I love you both and I will sincerely kick your asses if either of you gets yourself killed tonight, do you understand me?”

Declan smiles first, stepping forward to pull both of us into a hug as he leans down to kiss my cheek, “I wouldn’t dream of it, Santana.  Robert would never let me live it down if I let you kick my ass.”

Laughing as Declan releases his hug and walks away, Robert calls out to him with a grin, “Damn straight.”  Turning back to face me, Robert’s face becomes serious as he rests his hands on each of our shoulders, his eyes searching your face before looking back at me, “The same goes for you both.  Brittany, you still owe me a dance and Santana, you still owe me my engraved dagger.”

Rolling my eyes as he too kisses my cheek and walks a few feet away, I call out over my shoulder, “It was one lousy bet thirty years ago.”

“It _was_ a lousy bet.  I told you not to challenge him to an arm-wrestling contest,” Cian’s voice appears at my side as he and Rebekkah step back in front of us.

Squeezing my hand, you glance back at Robert before speaking to me, “You challenged _Robert_ to an arm wrestling contest?  His arms are almost as big as tree trunks, San.”

“It was the whiskey.  Plus, as his maker, I thought I could win.”

I feel Robert drape his arm across my shoulder as he, Bastian, Declan, and Victor come over to join our group, his voice lightly teasing as he reaches down to poke my bicep, “Tell you what.  When this is all over, you can have your rematch.  Sound like a deal?”

Robert winks at you over my head and I see you smile out of the corner of my eye, reaching with my free hand to playfully push Robert’s arm off my shoulder, smiling at him briefly before letting my features harden.  Cian speaks to someone over my shoulder and, confirming that everyone is ready, we all turn and move to the edge of the bend in the road, the first of Lucas’ soldiers now only less than fifty yards away.  Walking slowly, I turn back as Logan’s hand taps my shoulder, his voice pitched low so as not to carry, “One more thing, Santana.  From what we could tell, Lucas isn’t here at camp.  We’ve only been able to spot Kaitlin.  It’s possible he’s not here.  I know that we’re all ready to attack but maybe we should wait and see if…”

Shaking my head, I continue to move forward as Logan trails off and follows, your solid presence beside me soothing my nerves as we come to a stop, “He’s here.  If Kaitlin is here, he’s here.  Besides, we’ve committed to this.  Daylight would find us stranded without much shelter, if we waited.  And, we’ve waited long enough.”

Nodding his head, Logan moves to take his place as the others gather behind us, their nervous energy humming like a live wire around us.  Taking a deep breath, I rest my hand across your lower back, your eyes shifting briefly to their normal vibrant blue as you look at me, an ocean of unspoken words flowing between us before your eyes change back to ochre, your final thought easing its way into my mind as Robert comes to stand next to me.

_I love you._

_I love you too._

Nudging Robert’s side, I lay my trust in my oldest friend and incline my head towards our destination, my hand slipping from your back to draw my sword, listening as everyone around me readies their weapons, “What shall it be, Robert?  Quiet or loud?”

Pausing to take a breath, Robert runs his hand over his bald head, his ochre eyes glinting in the moonlight as he looks back towards me, “As soon as we strike, all hell is gonna to break loose.”  Standing up straighter, I watch as he catches Declan’s eye, both of them nodding as Robert turns to grin at me, his teeth on full display as he tightens his grip on his sword, “Might as well make an entrance.”

 

* * *

 

The first few minutes of battle go by in a blur of yells and the sounds of metal and fists meeting flesh, all of us realizing with disgust that Lucas had compelled humans to join his army, the decision to dispatch them with non-lethal force whenever possible quickly made and shouted down the ranks.  Our scouts had been right in their assumption that the camp was further up the pass than we initially thought as we were forced to fight wave after wave of soldiers in the bottleneck of the path, the looming mountain to our right as thinning foliage to our left eventually gave way to a sheer drop to the valley below us.

“Brittany!” Shouting your name as one of the soldiers approached from your blind side, I feel a smile of admiration pull at my mouth at the graceful way you spin around his attack, your sword turning him to ash in the same movement.  Driving my elbow into the face of one of the human soldiers, I step back as you slam the hilt of your sword into his temple, knocking him unconscious as you continue moving forward with me, grim determination lining your face.

A flash of color pulls my attention and I spot Rebekkah at Cian’s side, her hands appearing red in the night sky as she ignites the vampire soldiers in front of her, Cian’s sword cutting an arc of destruction around her.  Drawn back into the fight by the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, I manage to block the attack of one of the soldiers, twisting my body to knock him off-balance.  Before I could bring my sword down, Victor appears behind me at a run, driving the point of his sword into the soldier’s heart before continuing on, the left side of his shirt torn and flapping behind him.  Following him, I push at your back, urging you forward and also drawing a brief second of reassurance at the solid feel of you beneath my hand.  Together, we work our way up the path, our connection allowing for us to move in almost perfect synch, my need to protect you instinctively driving me to keep you between myself and the mountainside, bearing the brunt of the attacks as we move closer and closer to the entrance of the camp.

 The dark night is suddenly lit up as the men and women fighting for me start to speak the words of Rebekkah’s spell, weapons igniting to flame as more of Lucas’ vampire soldiers start to stream out from the entrance of his camp.  Reaching Cian and Rebekkah’s side, I feel you press up close to my back, the four of us safe for the moment behind a rock formation, Robert and Victor just a few yards away.  Breathing hard, I look between Cian and Rebekkah, shifting the grip on my sword, “Is there any sign of Lucas?  Or of Kaitlin?”

Ripping his torn vest from his body, Cian drops the tattered cloth at his feet and rolls his sleeves up, keeping his eyes forward as he watches Victor strike down another soldier, “No sign of Lucas.”

“Kaitlin is here.  I can sense her.  She knows I’m coming,” Rebekkah’s hair is a mess around her shoulders, her skirt muddied and torn as it brushes over her shoes.  Wiping at the sweat dripping down the side of her face, Rebekkah’s voice is hard as she meets my eyes, “She’ll be ready for us.”

Reaching back to squeeze your hand, my attempt at reentering the fight is stopped by Rebekkah’s hand on my elbow, her grip firm as she steps closer to me, “Kaitlin is mine.  Promise me that, Santana.  Once we’re inside the camp, she’s mine to deal with.”

“I promise.”

“If you ladies are done having your tea party, we could really use some help out here,” Robert’s slightly breathless voice calls to us from a little further up the path and as one, the four of us move to rejoin the fight, your hand slipping from my grasp as we both fight off charging soldiers.

I’m caught blindsided by one of the human soldiers, his weight at my back knocking me enough off-balance that one of the vampire soldiers is able to land a kick to my side, the dirt beneath my feet giving way as I stumble backwards a few steps.  Slamming my head back into the human holding me from behind, I feel no remorse at the sound of crunching bone, his shout of pain drowned out by the sound of metal hitting metal, my sword moving in a flurry to block another attack.  Spinning away as the soldier lunges at me, I bring my sword across his back, watching with satisfaction as he slides across the dirt, Logan’s sword finishing him off as he fights his way behind me.

Turning back around quickly, I realize that I can no longer see you near me, my flash of panic calmed as I sense you through our connection, your anxiety high but otherwise you are unharmed.  Wiping my sleeve across my face, I take off after you, looking around for the others and hesitating for a moment when I realize that I haven’t seen Declan since the fighting began.  As my steps falter, I hear Robert’s voice call out, his warning yell giving me just enough time to barely bring my sword around and block a vicious swipe from one of Lucas’ vampire soldiers.  Realizing too late that my weight is shifted to the wrong foot, I can only reach out and grab onto the soldier, locking his arms at his side as we both go down, our bodies skidding off to the side of the path.  I can feel his hot breath on my neck as he tries to bite through my skin, desperation causing me to draw my knees up as I reach up and grab his shoulders, shoving with all my strength to push him off of me.  Rolling to my knees, I reach for my fallen sword, rising quickly to stand as the soldier pushes to his knees, his growl turning into a terrified shout.  Turning my head, I manage to step to the side as Robert comes sprinting in our direction, brushing past me even as a human soldier leaps at me from the other side.

“Watch it!” I feel the heat of Robert’s swing as he yells the incantation and cuts down the solider that attacked me in a flash of fire and ash, his proximity to me causing me to glare at him even as I raise my fist to punch the compelled human soldier, stepping over his falling body.

Robert’s smile is grim as he swings his sword at another attacking soldier, both of us watching as flames race over him, the vampire soldier’s body bursting into ash within seconds.  Twirling the sword in his hand, Robert winks at me as we continue to fight our way up the mountain pass, stubborn pride keeping me from letting my own sword flame as I choose to instead rely on strength and skill to strike down the soldiers attacking us. 

Instinct has me turning as a scream sounds next to me, Rebekkah’s hands glowing as she continues past me without a word, ash clinging to her clothes like a mist.  I can hear the sounds of battle continuing behind me, Cian’s voice shouting at everyone to keep advancing spurring me into action as my sword takes out another soldier, the slice of his weapon against my thigh barely felt as I continue to fight my way towards you.  I spot Bastian just up ahead, his gait unsteady as he tries to recover from a hit to his head, the human soldier in front of him reaching back with his makeshift shield to strike at Bastian again.  Sprinting towards him, I’m forced to the ground by the force of a body hitting into me, both of us tumbling for a few feet before instinct has me rolling into a standing position, my sword at the ready in front of me.  Lucas’ vampire soldier grins at me with blood in his teeth, twin daggers in his hands as he lunges at me, skillfully eluding my attack as he makes a shallow slice across my chest.  As he shifts to circle me, I spot Robert helping Bastian up, the human soldier crumpled at their feet as they get back into the fray.  Relief rushes through me as well as anger over Lucas’ use of unwilling human soldiers and I use that to fuel my movements, blocking the soldier’s next swipe with my forearm, welcoming the sting of the slice as I manage to drive my sword through his heart, spitting ash from my mouth as I move forward.

I hear a shout up ahead that sounds like your voice but the scream of Lucas’ soldier is still ringing in my ears, desperation causing me to duck under the swing of another onrushing soldier, trusting that Robert will take care of him as I move further up the trail.  I can feel the burn in the muscles in my legs as I push off the loose gravel, swinging hard with my sword as another soldier leaps towards my back, grinning savagely at his scream of pain as my sword finds a home in his neck.  Twisting away quickly, I shift my sword to my strong hand and continue to run up the pass, your flash of blonde hair spurring me to hurry.  Leaping over a falling body, I spot Bastian as he pulls his daggers from the chest of another soldier, his hair matted with blood as he yells at me to keep going.  Hoping that Robert and the others keep making progress up the mountain, I grit my teeth and finally get close enough to see you, relief rushing through me as I see that you are safe, Victor at your side as you both cut down the soldiers closest to you. 

A snarl draws my attention and I’m forced to drop to one knee, my sword slashing out and barely stopping the momentum of a large man, the war hammer in his fist scraping over my back as he stumbles past me.  Gripping my sword with both hands, I push off the ground and turn, my speed no match for his size as my weapon plunges into his back, my kick to his hip sending him tumbling down the side of the mountain.  As I turn to head back towards you, the sound of a desperate yell makes my blood run cold, my body reacting as if in slow motion as I look in the direction of the noise.  My eyes sweep over you first and it’s the look on your face that drops my heart into my stomach, my feet finally taking off towards the sound even as I realize I’ll never make it there in time.

I feel a scream rumbling up in my chest but shock keeps the sound trapped as my body moves forward on instinct, pain racing through me and as I watch Lucas’ sword swing down, the only word that I can finally push past my lips is a name.

“Declan!”


	19. Retribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucas and Kaitlin finally reveal themselves as the battle reaches its conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.
> 
> A/N: As always, just another thank you to everyone who has read this story so far or who have recently started reading. It really means a lot to see the views and it motivates me to keep writing. I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Reviews are appreciated but never expected. :-)

Time seems to stand still as I meet Declan's eyes, and even with the sounds of battle going on around me, there is only silence inside my head as I uselessly continue to move forward towards him. Horrified, I watch as Declan's sword falls from his hand, the look in his eyes letting me know that he's accepting his fate and I can already feel the ache in my chest that I know will come once the arc of Lucas' sword reaches its mark.

The pain never comes as a burst of light flashes from beside me, Lucas' sword being torn from his hand by a glowing blue light, his angry snarl loud over the sound of his weapon scraping across the ground to land a few feet to his right. Before Declan can reach for his sword, Lucas swings his fist into the side of Declan's head, turning to face me even as Declan falls to a heap at his feet. Raising his hand, he points in my direction, his dark wavy hair falling over one eye as he glares at me, his voice full of disgust as he starts to walk in my direction, "Bitch."

"Now, now, my love. Is that anyway to speak to your sister-in-law?"

A sweet, lilting voice sounds a few yards behind Lucas and as I turn my head, I realize that Rebekkah is beside me, her hands still glowing brightly. As she steps past me, I follow the direction of her gaze and see Kaitlin walking towards us, her dark crimson dress a perfect match to the dark crimson shirt that Lucas is wearing. Following behind Rebekkah, we both advance towards Lucas and Kaitlin, a small rush of relief going through me as I see Robert hurry forward and pick Declan up, my eyes sparing a quick glance away from Lucas to Robert's, his curt nod letting me know that Declan is still with us.

My attention draws back to Lucas as Kaitlin reaches his side, pulling him down to her for an obscene kiss before she looks at Rebekkah, the sweet sound of her voice laced with something infinitely darker as she addresses her sister, "That wasn't very nice of you, dear sister. Trying to spoil all of our fun with your petty magic. I thought Mother taught you better than that. What was it? Play nice with others and all of that other bullshit?"

Rebekkah's hands flash even brighter as Kaitlin's taunts find their mark and for the briefest of moments, I sense a bit of unease in Kaitlin's eyes, even as she sneers at Rebekkah again, "Is that your pathetic attempt to scare me, sister?"

"No," Rebekkah's voice sounds firm, even as I make out the faint tremors shaking her shoulders. Widening her stance, I feel my ears pop as she raises her hands, her hair blowing over her shoulders as she shouts at Kaitlin, "This is!"

I have a tiny second of satisfaction as Lucas' eyes widen before I'm being rocked back on my feet, the concussive force of the energy being pushed from Rebekkah's hands stealing my breath for a moment. Shaking my head, I look over to where you had been standing, my heart racing as all that greets me is empty space. Looking away from the scene in front of me, relief almost brings me to my knees as I see you and the others a little further away, cautiously circling around to come to my side. Tightening the grip on my sword, I turn back towards Lucas and Kaitlin, letting my connection with you confirm the moment you are next to me once more. I notice with alarm that Lucas appears closer to us before realizing that the force of Rebekkah's magic had knocked Kaitlin back a few feet, both of them moving away from our group as they advance on each other. Understanding that Rebekkah was attempting to separate Kaitlin from Lucas, I start to move in the opposite direction, Lucas' attention still on Kaitlin as she tears off the bottom of her singed dress, throwing it to the ground in disgust.

"Pity. I loved this dress," Kaitlin's face flushes with anger, her features hardening as she looks over at Lucas. Halting his progress towards her with a quick flick of her wrist, she keeps her eyes on Rebekkah as she address Lucas, "My love, why don't you deal with your little problem while I deal with mine. This won't take but a moment."

Using a few precious seconds as Lucas looks at Kaitlin, I turn slightly and look over at you, the look of fear on your face prompting me to try to send a rush of reassurance through our connection, my confidence increasing slightly as Robert makes his way to my side once more.

_Brittany, it's going to be okay. He's not going to lay a finger on you._

When a few seconds pass and you don't answer me, I shuffle back towards you, trusting that Cian and the others will alert me if Lucas' attention returns, and reach back for your hand.

_Sweetheart, are you with me?_

_I'm…scared. I feel like I'm back hiding under that broken table again._

_I know you are, love. Just know you are so much stronger than you were then. And I promise you, he won't touch you. Not as long as I have a breath in my body. I love you, okay? Just be strong for me a little while longer._

_Okay, San. I love you too…_

"Santana!

Cian's furious whisper of my name draws my attention back to him and I notice that both Victor and Bastian are looking back towards the edge of the camp, their brows furrowed in confusion. Looking back at Cian, I go to address his calling of my name before the overwhelming sound of silence derails my thoughts, "Cian, why is it so quiet all of a sudden?"

"Kaitlin has cast some sort of spell. She's thrown a barrier around us…it's preventing the rest of our people from making their way into the camp. For better or worse, it's just us now, darling."

I spare a quick glance around and notice that the air around the part of the camp that we are in seems to shimmer, almost like a wall of thin water has risen up from the ground. Before I can contemplate this development any further, Lucas' voice captures my attention and all of us turn at the sound of his approach.

"Well, well, well, isn't that sweet, Santana. Holding your lover's hand for the last time. Enjoy it while you can. I was going to kill you after I took your blonde bitch and just let you die with the thoughts of all the plans I might have for her but seeing the love between you two, I think I'll let you live so you can enjoy them with her."

Releasing your hand, I step in front of you as I grip my sword with both hands, keeping our connection open even as your overwhelming fear makes my stomach tremble. I see Cian and the others take up defensive stances as Lucas moves to stand about twenty feet in front of us, his body language relaxed as he smiles at the anger in my voice, "You're not going to touch her, Lucas."

"Oh, I'm going to do more than just touch her. After all the headaches that you and your pathetic group of fighters have caused me over the years, I won't be wasting my opportunity to extract a little payback. Did you really think I haven't known that you've been camped out at Brogan's Point, plotting with your silly little plans on how you were going to come up here and destroy us?"

Robert answers Lucas, his voice gruff and taunting and neither Lucas nor I look away from each other as Robert speaks, "We dispatched your army of soldiers easily enough."

Finally looking away from me, Lucas arches an eyebrow as he reaches up to casually brush the hair out of his eyes, both hands coming to rest on the top of the sword strapped to his hips. Nodding his head in the direction of the entrance to the camp, he smirks at Robert as he answers and I feel my blood start to boil at his words, "Expendable. All of them. They were merely a delay to allow for my Queen and I to prepare for your arrival."

"And the humans? You gave them no choice and led them into a battle for their lives," Cian's voice is muted in his outrage, my ears picking up the sound of the leather grip of his sword tightening in his hand.

"As it should be. What are they but food? Merely tools for our use and our disposal. I'm disappointed in you, Cian. All these years and you continue to sit and wither away like an old lap dog, doing your bitch's bidding with your tail between your legs. Why don't you leave that foolishness behind and come join us?"

"I'd rather die first."

With an almost disappointed sigh, Lucas clucks his tongue at Cian, tapping his fingers playfully against his sword, "That can be arranged."

All of us including Lucas jump as a large explosion bursts about fifty yards from us, the barrier around the camp shimmering violently before reforming. We all turn to look as Kaitlin pushes herself off the ground, the right side of her face smeared with blood as she tosses her hair over her shoulder, rising up to stand as she casts a burst of energy in Rebekkah's direction. Jumping quickly to get out of the way, the energy catches Rebekkah's hip, spinning her around as she stumbles to one knee. The bitter sound of Kaitlin laughing cuts off as Rebekkah holds both her hands out to her sides while she stands, sending a red ball of energy at Kaitlin as she swings her arms forward, the force catching Kaitlin square in the chest and knocking her onto her back once again.

Lucas takes a step towards Kaitlin in reflex but I know that we have to keep them apart if we have any chance of defeating him. Quickly speaking the enchantment for my sword, I take a few steps forward as the sight of the flames garners Lucas' attention. Gesturing to where Kaitlin is still trying to get up off the ground, I smile at Lucas and welcome the anger that I see wash over his face, "Your Queen is going to die."

Drawing his sword, he holds it high above his head, swinging it out to the side viciously as he bares his teeth in my direction, "Yours first."

Seemingly at once, a group of vampire soldiers appear behind us, apparently having remained hidden during our initial exchange and only set free with Lucas' signal. Almost immediately the sound of clashing swords is heard as Victor and Bastian charge at the group, Robert right behind them, his war cry ringing out over the field.

"Brittany, stay behind me. Cian…"

"Already on it."

As Cian moves to stand behind you, his back to us as he fends off any of the vampire soldiers that get past Robert, Bastian, and Victor, I swing my sword in Lucas' direction, his eyes drawn to you over my shoulder for a brief moment before he meets my gaze.

"You can't believe you are actually going to succeed in killing me, Santana."

Advancing on him, I block out the sounds of Rebekkah and Kaitlin fighting, pulling from somewhere deep inside of me to even block out the sound of Robert and the others battling as I force myself to concentrate solely on keeping myself between you and Lucas. I can still feel your blood in my system and I take a deep breath as I allow my need to protect you at all costs push me even closer to where Lucas is standing. Cocking my head to the side, I laugh at Lucas' declaration and take no small amount of pleasure as he scowls at my response, "No? And why is that? Not that it matters as I'm going to love to prove you wrong."

"It is my destiny to rule this land and all in it, with Kaitlin at my side."

"The Royal Family may have a slight problem with that, you know."

"They're next to go after you. I don't expect that they will be an obstacle to me much longer. I have seen and tasted true power, Santana. The experience of it still courses through my veins and I know that it will only be a matter of time before…"

Lunging forward, I swing my sword at Lucas' torso, his speech ending with a grunt as he parries my attack, both of us circling away from the group fighting behind us, his glare growing as I taunt him, "Blah, blah, blah. You just love the sound of your own voice, don't you? Do you see anyone here who gives a fuck about your delusions?"

Anger pulls Lucas' mouth into a grimace, my heart racing as his gaze once again goes over my shoulder, your unease at his stare causing my heart to clench in my chest. I can hear Cian fighting behind me and it takes all my willpower to not turn around as I realize you've turned to fight off your own attacker, my eyes watching Lucas as he readies his sword, his grimace becoming a smirk as gestures behind me, "You taught your bitch to fight. Good…that's good, Santana. It's so much better when they struggle."

His words provoke the response he was looking for as anger swells up inside of me, my sword moving in a blur as I attack him, his hand digging into my shoulder as I step too close. Shoving me away from him with a snarl, Lucas swings his sword towards my head, forcing me to duck and roll away from him. Coming to my feet, I realize that I'm now able to see you just off to the side, your back to Cian's as you watch me, the remains of the soldiers you each fought still falling to your feet like gray snow.

Regardless of the sounds of the struggles going on around us and despite the looming threat of Lucas as he turns to face me once again, I keep my eyes on yours. Your shirt is torn halfway down the sleeve and I can see your sword arm dipping slightly with fatigue but your eyes are clear and steady, the adrenaline from your fight having pushed the fear away for the moment. Another burst of light illuminates the camp for a moment and I can see the glint of your pendant through the torn buttons on your shirt and even though I know that it's not physically possible, I feel my own pendant grow warm against my skin. As I have done since the moment you came into my life, I draw strength from your presence and focus all of that energy into my desire to end this once and for all. I can feel the aches and strains in my muscles wash away as I take a deep breath, baring my teeth at Lucas as I prepare to strike at him once more.

Before I can bring my sword up to attack Lucas, the ground rumbles beneath my feet and it feels as if there is a wave rolling underneath me as a large crack of thunder sounds, the earth shaking viciously enough under me to knock me sideways, my body tossed to the ground like a rag doll. Dazed, I weakly turn onto my side and spot my sword in the grass a few feet from me. Rising onto my knees, I crawl forward and grab my weapon, the muffled sound of yelling filtering through my ears. Shaking my head, I stand up and feel my sword almost slip from my grip at the sight in front of me.

Realizing that one of Lucas' soldiers must have slipped by Cian, I can only watch in horror as he holds his hand over your mouth, his other arm banded around your chest to hold your arms at your side. In a few steps he is standing beside a grinning Lucas, your eyes looking fearfully at Lucas as you struggle in your captor's arms. Hearing a groan near me, I look over to see Cian pulling a sword from his side, letting it drop to the ground as he starts to fall, Bastian catching him at the last moment and easing him to the ground. Robert and Victor appear at Cian's side, a little worse for the wear but alive, their labored breathing adding to my growing fear as I see the look of panic in Robert's eyes when he spots you being held captive next to Lucas. Leaving them behind me, I slowly walk closer to Lucas, only stopping when he grabs you from his soldier's arms, holding you in front of him in an almost tender embrace. The sight makes my heart pound in my chest and I lower my sword, hoping to buy some time to come up with a plan.

_Just look at me, sweetheart. That's a girl. Don't move, okay? I'm going to get you away from him. I swear it._

_Santana…_

Your thoughts cut off as Lucas brings his hand under your chin, tilting your head back against his shoulder as he presses a lewd kiss to your cheek. Keeping his cheek pressed to yours, his other hand starts to slide across your stomach, tightening against your ribs as you start to struggle in his grasp, his smirk fully in place as he addresses me, "She smells so good, Santana. I think I'm going to rather enjoy this."

"You lay a hand on her and I will gut you where you stand."

"I've already laid two hands on her and you've done nothing. All these years and always just a bit unlucky, isn't that right? Oh, but you've always tried so hard to best me. In the interest of fairness, I should tell you that you did manage to come close a few times. Never enough to worry me, of course."

"I'm close now, you fucker."

"And still, I'm not worried," Lucas' voice is smug as he gestures for his soldier to approach me, instructing him to take my weapon.

Glaring at the soldier as he comes closer, I tighten the grip on my sword, my voice low and serious as I speak to him, "I will kill you before you even reach your hand out to grab it."

The conviction in my voice makes the soldier's steps falter and it's your cry of pain that makes me look back at Lucas, his head shaking side to side slowly as he admonishes me, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Santana."

Throwing my sword to the ground a few feet away from me, I growl at the soldier as he walks forward to pick it up after the flames die down, his face appearing confident only once he has my sword in his hand and is walking away to head back to Lucas. I can hear Victor and the others shifting anxiously behind me and I hold my hand out to command them to keep still, tapping into my sire connection with Robert to warn him to remain ready but to stay out of it and not draw unwanted attention to himself and the others.

Widening my stance, both Lucas and I turn our heads at the sound of raised voices, singed portions of the grass still smoking as Kaitlin and Rebekkah continue to battle and I can't help but wonder how much longer either one will be able to keep harnessing their energy to fight. Suddenly I see Lucas' head turn back towards you and I use his distraction to inch closer to him by another foot, an amused expression on his face as he speaks to you, "Speak up, sweetness. What did you say?"

Your voice is slightly raspy as Lucas hasn't relinquished his grip on your throat but your words are filled with hate as you speak them again, "You killed my family."

"I kill so many families. Honestly, it's hard to keep track of them all." Running his fingers across your cheek with his free hand, I feel my fists clench as he tilts your head back further, looking down at you in curiosity, "Are you expecting an apology from me?"

Through our connection I can feel your anger and even your sadness as you address the monster that killed your family but I also feel your strength and your trust as you answer him, my feet moving forward a few more inches until only a few feet separate us, "No. I expect you to die for it."

I see the spark of fear on Lucas' face at the sureness of your words before he covers it by laughing at you, pressing his lips to your temple with a tender kiss before turning to look at me, "I _like_ this one, Santana. She's feisty." Looking back down, his features harden again as he glares at you, "Maybe if the rest of your family was as feisty, they wouldn't have been slaughtered."

I feel your pain slice through me at his words and my hate for Lucas grows even more. Gritting my teeth, I meet Lucas' gaze head on as he arches his eyebrow at me, nodding to indicate my closer position to them, "Sneaky, sneaky. You must really want your blonde bitch to die soon. And here I was thinking we were just starting to become good friends."

Wrapping his arm across your chest, Lucas looks at the vampire soldier at his side, commanding him to come forward as his other hand grabs your chin to hold your mouth open. Looking right at me as he speaks, Lucas grins as he instructs his soldier, "Since Santana here isn't very keen on me speaking with...Brittany, isn't it? Since she appears to not want me speaking with Brittany, perhaps we should just cut out her tongue all together since Santana seems to think she has no use for it."

I hear the others behind me start to move forward at Lucas' words, my panic rising as you start to struggle in earnest, the sounds coming from your throat twisting my stomach into knots. As the soldier reaches toward your face, I feel my muscles start to tighten, the burst of adrenaline racing through my veins as I prepare to leap forward, my only thoughts centered on saving you and ending Lucas. Before I even have the chance to move, the ground is rocked again by another force of energy, the world seeming to tilt sideways before everything settles again. The momentum was enough to knock Lucas' soldier off his feet and I notice with relief that he appears to be hurt as he remains on his side, cradling his injured hand against his chest. Looking over, I see that both you and Lucas have your heads turned and chancing a glance in that same direction, I feel my eyes widen at what I'm seeing.

"You don't…have it…in you," Choking on a cough, Kaitlin stands unsteadily in front of Rebekkah, one of her arms hanging useless and at an unnatural angle at her side. Raising her good arm to send a bolt of energy forward, Kaitlin weakly falls to one knee as Rebekkah directs the energy away from her and into the ground with little effort, the middle of her dress torn and revealing a long slash across her thigh.

Moving forward slowly, Rebekkah places her hands against the sides of Kaitlin's head, almost cradling her face gently as she looks down at her sister, "You brought this on yourself, Kaitlin. There can be no other way."

For a moment, Kaitlin's face changes and in it I can see the child that Rebekkah spoke of before Kaitlin's magic turned her into the woman she would eventually become. As quickly as it appears, it's gone and her voice hardens as she gazes up at Rebekkah, her mouth twisted in a sneer as she speaks to her, "Do it, then. It won't bring your mother and father back."

I can see Rebekkah's lips tremble as she speaks again, her fingers spreading wide as she squares her shoulders, " _Our_ mother, Kaitlin. And, I know."

Closing her eyes, Rebekkah's hands glow harshly with a sharp blue light, whatever she is saying drowned out by the sound of Kaitlin screaming in protest as Rebekkah slowly lowers her to the ground, following her sister down to kneel at her side. There are tears running down Rebekkah's face as she removes her hands from Kaitlin's head, her movements jerky and unsure as she stands up, looking over at me before her head rears back, her mouth opening wide in a silent scream as a massive wave of energy pours out from Kaitlin's body and appears to be absorbed by Rebekkah. Almost as soon as it begins, it's over and Rebekkah falls to her knees, curling into herself as her sobs reach my ears.

A deafening yell brings my attention back to Lucas and I can see the moment that he realizes that Kaitlin is dead, his body instinctively stepping towards her and subsequently loosening his hold on you. Your eyes meet mine a half second before you bring your knee up, your right hand reaching into your boot to pull out your dagger, driving it deep into Lucas' thigh. The shock and pain are enough that you are able to break free of his grasp, running towards me and straight into my arms as I wrap my arms around your back, holding you tight to me as Cian and the others rejoin my side.

The soldier at Lucas' feet tries to rise, my sword held loosely in his good hand, when a scream of rage pierces the air, Lucas' sword coming down to behead the soldier, his body turning to ash as my sword lands with a dull thud on the grass. I can tell that Lucas doesn't know whether to charge at me or go to Kaitlin's body and even though every fiber of my being is screaming for me to never let you go, I rub your back once before guiding you to stand behind me, reaching my hand out for Robert's sword and stepping towards Lucas, "Your Queen is dead, Lucas."

His eyes are wild as he stares at me, a fevered madness making the ochre in them burn even brighter as he surprises me and throws his sword at his side, "You'll all pay for that."

"And you're going to pay for touching Brittany and for every other atrocity that you've committed. Pick your sword up and fight me, you coward."

Dimly, I become aware of the sounds of approaching footsteps, the rest of my men and women advancing into the camp now that the barrier had been broken, the magic holding it in place fading away with Kaitlin's death. Instead of picking his sword up, Lucas reaches up and pulls open his shirt, revealing a blood-red amulet sitting at the end of a long chain. Gesturing wildly at everyone, Lucas takes a few halting steps closer to Kaitlin, Rebekkah standing and watching him as he approaches. Grief and anger blend perfectly in his features as he looks down at her and as he turns to face me, I feel you press in closer against my back.

With one last look at Kaitlin, Lucas strides closer to us, both hands gripping the amulet as he speaks through heavy breaths, "I don't need my sword to fight you. All of you shall soon know the power that is within me and with it I will bring death and destruction, as is my destiny."

"Who told you such bullshit, Lucas? Kaitlin?" Nodding my head in the direction of her body, I hold my sword up in a defensive stance, eyeing Lucas as he continues to walk towards us, "A lot of good it's done her to believe that all her power would mean something. At the end, nothing could save her."

"Oh, but I can."

With a mad smile, Lucas pulls the chain from around his neck, holding the amulet high above his head as the ochre in his eyes floods with red. Pointing a shaking finger at me, Lucas' voice cracks with anger as he bares his teeth at me and speaks, "You think you've won? The end is coming for you all. These lands will run red with rivers of blood from the human slaves and I shall use your bones to make my throne while my Queen rules at my side."

"What the fuck?"

Victor's hushed exclamation is lost as the winds around us start to pick up, the ground starting to rumble dangerously again beneath our feet. Lucas' eyes close as he raises his hand so that both hands are now holding the amulet above his head, his lips moving fervently in a series of silent words as lightning and thunder join the cacophony created by the screaming winds whipping around us.

Turning around, I meet your panicked gaze before yelling out to the men and women behind us to run and head back down the mountain pass. Robert shakes his head and stands his ground as I yell at him to leave me, growling at me as I slap a hand against his chest and shove him hard, yelling to make my voice carry over the sound of the wind, "Goddammit, you stubborn son of a bitch, get everyone to safety and get them away from here."

"The hell I am. If you think I'm leaving you now, after everything that has happened, you're just as crazy as he is."

Cian's voice is calm, despite the chaos around us, as he echoes Robert's sentiment, Bastian and Victor nodding their heads in agreement as you reach out and squeeze my hand encouragingly. The ground suddenly shakes violently, knocking us into each other briefly before we gain our footing. Meeting each of their gazes in turn, I roll my eyes quickly, gripping my sword hard as I go to turn and face Lucas, Cian's voice stopping me cold, "On second thought…"

In the few moments I had my back turned, Lucas' face has shifted into something more demon than vampire, the amulet now being held in front of him as he continues to chant louder and louder, his eyes completely overrun by the blood-red color that appeared before. Confusion reigns for a few seconds before Rebekkah's strained voice appears at my side, her hands glowing brighter than ever, "You have to run, Santana."

"What? Bullshit. I _have to_ kill him."

"He's too powerful as he is now for your sword to do any damage." Even though only two feet separate us, Rebekkah and I have to scream over the roaring winds to even be heard by each other. All of us huddle closer as she yells at us, her voice desperate as she looks at me, "You don't understand. Whatever power Kaitlin put into that amulet, whatever it is that he's tapping into? It's dark. Darker than anything I've ever felt before. There's only one way to stop him now and I can only pray that it will work. She couldn't have known and she probably would hate it if she did know but Kaitlin's power inside of me just may be enough to stop him."

"What can we do to help you?"

Standing up straight, Rebekkah inhales deeply and takes a step closer to Lucas, looking back over her shoulder one last time with a grim smile as she answers me, "Get back."

Grabbing your hand, I pull you with me as we all start to move away from Rebekkah, breaking out into a run as I feel a scorching heat race across my back. I catch a glimpse of your face in the bright light and you turn your head to meet my gaze, the blue creeping along the edges of the ochre before a piercing wail deafens me and everything goes black.

* * *

The first thing I become aware of is that your hand is still clasped tight in mine, the weight of your body against my side comforting even as I try to fight my way through the fog of confusion sitting on my brain. Blinking my eyes open slowly, I'm greeted with Cian's face close to mine, his hand cradling the back of my head as he helps me sit up. Leaning over your body, I feel tears of relief gather in the corner of my eyes as I watch you rub at a sore spot on your forehead, your face scrunched up in pain as you sit up. Collapsing onto his butt next to me, Cian leans his shoulder against mine as a groggy Bastian tries to wake up Robert and Victor who are sprawled a few feet away from us.

Suddenly realizing that I can no longer hear the signs of Lucas' spell, I struggle to get to my feet, my eyes frantically scanning the area in front of us. Both you and Cian grab one of my arms and pull me back down, your hand lifting to indicate Rebekkah who is wearily making her way over to us. As Robert and Victor finally sit up and turn to face us, Rebekkah stumbles into a seated position, Cian crawling from my side to sit next to her, letting her rest some of her weight against him. Bastian remains standing until an irritated yank from Robert to Bastian's shirt pulls him down to the ground to sit, completing our ramshackle circle.

Bringing my arm around your back, I take a selfish moment to kiss the top of your head as you rest your temple against my shoulder, your arms going around my waist as I turn back and address Rebekkah, "So…"

Clearing her throat, Rebekkah runs her hands over her face, my eyes noticing for the first time that the skin across her fingers appears to be inflamed. Brushing her hair back from her face, I watch as she brings a hand to her thigh, her fingers glowing a light blue for a moment as she heals the cut on her leg before she speaks to me, "First of all, I should apologize for knocking all of you out. While I thought that the spell would indeed cause some sort of rebound effect, I didn't expect it being so strong. Second, and most importantly, Lucas is gone."

Your voice is still a little rough as you speak to Rebekkah and I place another kiss to the top of your head as the memory of Lucas' hands on your neck sparks inside my brain, "Did you kill him?"

"In a way."

"What does that mean?"

"The power that he was harnessing…there wasn't any way that anything I did directly to him would hurt him, much less kill him. The only way to stop him would be to bind his magic somehow, to try to stop whatever transformation he was trying to achieve or stop whatever forces he was looking to summon. When Kaitlin died…"

At that, Rebekkah pauses and shuts her eyes for a moment, Cian reaching his hand over to lightly hold hers in sympathy. When she opens them again, her eyes still hold the same pain but they are clearer, her voice giving away the only hint of her grief, "When I killed Kaitlin and her power came to me, some of her memories did as well. They weren't very clear but there was one memory of a spell that stood out and gave me an idea of how to stop Lucas. It was something my sister had worked on as a way to get rid of the Royal Family."

"What did you do?"

"I opened a portal using every ounce of magic I could summon and even used some of the residual magic around Lucas to create just enough of a doorway that I could push him through. That was the force you felt that threw you all to the ground. He was so hell-bent on finishing his spell he didn't even notice the darkness behind him until it was too late. I concentrated all my energy into one last burst and sent him through the doorway. To be honest, I don't think it would have worked if he hadn't been so distracted. The force I felt from him that was pushing its way across the camp was the strongest I've ever felt."

"Today, _you_ were stronger."

Rebekkah rewards Cian's observation with a small smile, pushing off the ground to stand as we all follow suit. As Robert, Bastian, and Victor start to make their way to the entrance of the camp to leave, I stop Rebekkah from leaving with a hand on her elbow as you and Cian stop as well, both of you listening as I ask her a very important question, "Rebekkah, where exactly did you send him?"

Looking back over her shoulder at the spot where Lucas once stood, Rebekkah shrugs her shoulders as she turns back and answers my question, "I don't know, exactly. It was just someplace…not here. It wasn't a good place though, Santana. The darkness I felt from just that small doorway was enough to let me know that wherever Lucas is now, it's a place he deserves to be."

I feel your fingers slide between mine as Cian and Rebekkah walk away, my final wave of relief coming as I spot Declan being helped to his feet by Robert, the two of them embracing for a long moment before they make their way to exit the now abandoned camp.

Tightening my fingers in your grasp, I reach up with my free hand and grip the back of your neck, pulling you against me hard as I kiss you, your arm going around my back as you press yourself closer to me. Letting go of your hand, I bring both hands to cup your face, pulling away from the kiss to look at you, your arms locking around my lower back as you smile at me, "Hi, San."

I feel tears leak from the corners of my eyes as I laugh at your greeting, the simplicity of it bringing a warmth to my chest. Leaning forward, I kiss your lips again, guiding us into a soft, gentle kiss as my thumbs rub lightly against your cheeks. Resting my forehead against yours, I let one of my hands slide across your jaw, tracing my fingertips down over the bruised skin of your neck, the fact that it is already healing doing nothing to assuage my guilt. My lower lip quivers as I close my eyes, the sight of you being held captive in Lucas' arms burned into my memory and the pain of that shakes my voice as I whisper to you, "Brittany, I am so sorry. I promised you that he wouldn't lay a finger on you and he did. He hurt you and…I couldn't…and…"

You cut my rambling off with another kiss, your own tears falling against my cheeks as you reach one hand up to mirror my pose, cupping the side of my face as you look at me, "It's okay, Santana."

"It's _not_ okay. How can you say that?"

"You did everything you could to protect me and it worked. I'm still here. We're both still here, right?" You punctuate your statement with another kiss before pulling my gaze back to yours, your blue eyes watery as they trace over my face, "I was so scared for you, when you were standing in front of Lucas, ready to put yourself between him and the rest of us without a thought about what he might do to you. But I had faith you. You looked so brave standing there protecting us. My beautiful, brave girl."

Moving even closer, I reach my arms around you and pull you into an embrace, burying my face against your neck and closing my eyes as the steady feel of your heartbeat against mine soothes me the way it always does. There are still things we'll all need to discuss and figure out now that Lucas and Kaitlin are gone but as weariness starts to sink into my bones, I can't think of anything that sounds better than getting back to our shelter before sunrise and falling into our bedroll with you.

Sensing my thoughts, you press a warm kiss against my cheek as you pull back from the embrace, reaching for my hand once more as you lead us across the camp so we can join the others. As we pass close to where Lucas was sent through the portal, you run your thumb across my hand, your voice curious as we continue walking, "Do you feel disappointed that you weren't the one to destroy Lucas?"

"No."

"Santana…"

"Okay, fine. Maybe a bit," Squeezing your hand lightly, I incline my head and concede your point. But as we move past the spot and make our way towards the entrance of the camp, I realize that while my revenge may have felt more fulfilling if I had been the one to drive my sword through his heart, the relief I feel at having him gone outweighs my pride. Looking over at you, I return your smile and continue speaking, "However, if I'm being honest, after all these years and everything that's been lost, all the people who have died because of his lust for power, I don't care how it happened. I'm just happy that bastard is in the Hell that he deserves."

As we exit the camp, we both stop at the top of the mountain pass, watching for a few moments in silence as our group slowly makes its way to our base camp at the bottom of the mountain. Guiding us down the path, I can almost believe we are both out for a midnight stroll, if it wasn't for our torn clothing and the slowly fading aches and bruises healing themselves underneath my skin. Shuffling a little closer to you, I look up when your soft voice breaks my reverie, "What now?"

"Now, we head back to Brogan's Point and make sure everyone is okay there before we head home. I still need to find out if my father was successful with the Royal Family. That's the last piece that needs to fall into place. I can only hope that once we return home, there is good news waiting for us otherwise all of this would have been for nothing."


	20. Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the battle with Lucas, Brittany and Santana adjust to life without the constant threat of war over their heads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them. I promise to put them back right where I found them once I'm done. Also, vamp lore is made up and doesn't follow any specific vampire mythology.
> 
> A/N: My apologies for delay in updating this particular story. My brain took a detour into S5/current AU Brittana with my most recent batch of stories but I'm definitely back into this world again. Thanks to everyone for sticking with this story and thank you all so much for reading! Reviews are always appreciated. :-)

_2 Weeks Later…_

“Vero, that’s not fair.”

“Like I give a rat’s ass what’s fair.  If you think traipsing off to war is a good enough reason to get out of helping out with this, then there’s a chance you left some of your good sense back there in that field.”

My growl is cut off by your arm going around my shoulder, your smile charming as you happily grab the hammer from Vero’s hand.  Placing a kiss against my temple, your voice sneaks into my mind as you patiently wait for me to pick up the wooden box of nails from the bar top.

_Why are you being so surly about patching the roof?_

_I’m not being surly.  But it’s…this is the first night since we’ve been back where there isn’t someone to meet with or correspondence to write or wounds to check on or condolences to be delivered.  I just figured we could have tonight to ourselves._

_Soon, San.  I promise._

“If you ladies are done having your private talk, that roof isn’t going to repair itself,” Vero’s voice jolts me out of my conversation with you and I feel your fingers tighten on my shoulder as I glare at her.  Undaunted, Vero smiles at me, brushing past us with a chuckle as she makes her way back into the kitchen, pausing at the door to call out to me over her shoulder, “That look didn’t work when you were sixteen, Santana.  It’s even less intimidating now with a smiling girl on your arm.”

Rolling my eyes at her teasing, I shift my glare to Robert as he sits at the bar drinking whiskey, his laugh not going unnoticed.  Going to hand him the box of nails, he stubbornly crosses his arms over his chest, pointing to you over my shoulder, “Nope.  Vero wanted you and Brittany to repair the roof.  I’ve spent most of the night with Declan cleaning out the stables and it’s time for me to take a break.”

“I could compel you, you know.”

At that, Robert’s grin falters, my own smile growing as I take a step towards him, already placing the box of nails back onto the bar.

“Santana, you will do no such thing,” Your voice admonishes me as you walk past me, hooking your fingers in my pocket and pulling me with you towards the front of the inn.  Sighing heavily, I grab the box and tuck it under my arm, turning quickly as we make our way through the front door to stick my middle finger up at Robert who greets the gesture with a hearty laugh.

As the door closes, shutting out the sounds of the inn inside, I start to follow you around to the back of the building, yelling out a greeting to Bastian and Declan as they emerge from the stables.  Continuing around back, I’m brought up short as I look around, frowning when you are nowhere to be found.  Tuning my senses to you, I look up to find you on top of the roof already, leaning over the edge to grin at me, “Come on, slow poke.”

Tightening my grip on the box of nails, I back up a few feet before sprinting forward, bending my knees and pushing off the ground, enjoying the brief sense of weightlessness before I land with a soft thud next to you on the roof.  As I turn to face you, my smile of greeting turns into a smirk at the look on your face, your voice pitched a little lower as you speak to me, “It’s really hot watching you do that.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmmhmm.”

Before you can move, I’ve placed the box down on the roof, stepping over the edge to land lightly on my feet, your amused giggle reaching my ears as I get another running start before jumping back up onto the roof, finishing my landing with a bow.  Your smile is beautiful as you step closer to me, slipping your fingers into the collar of my shirt and pulling me against you in a kiss, the hint of heat teasing a small moan from me.  Before I can reciprocate, you’re moving away from me and heading towards the other side of the roof, the materials for repairs already set up and waiting for us.  Placing the hammer onto the roof, you kneel down and look at me through the curtain of your blonde hair, the corner of your mouth lifted as you gesture in front of you, “Coming?”

Snorting out a laugh, I pick up the box and walk over to where you are, mimicking your position as I look over the damage.  Tying my hair back, I look up at the clear night sky and take a deep breath, your happy sigh bringing my attention back to you, “What?”

“You’re really pretty, Santana.”

The warmth that rushes through me at your simple statement makes me shift a little under your scrutiny, your smile deepening as I try to deflect the compliment with a teasing push to your shoulder, “Are you just trying to get out of helping me?”

“Of course not,” Scolding me, you lean down and place your hands on the roof near my knees, enticing me into a soft kiss before leaning back and picking up the hammer. “I’m perfectly content to sit up here with you on this beautiful night and help you with everything.  And if I get to watch your hands as you handle all these interesting tools and materials up here?  Well, that’s just a bonus for me.”

Shaking my head playfully, I reach forward and pick up one of the heavy wood slats, moving it into place as I nod my head towards the roof, “Hard to believe there was a storm big enough to tear into a quarter of this roof just two days ago.  It’s so peaceful and quiet up here now.”

“That’s how it always is though, isn’t it.  I remember when I was younger being so scared of the summer storms.  My father…he used to sit with me by the window as the storm would wind down so I could see how calm things were after the storm passed.  He and my mother always took time to take me outside and show me how clean everything was after the storm washed the dirt away and how the flowers would bloom now because of the rain.”

Noticing the hitch in your story as you talk about your father, I keep my movements nice and steady as I move from one wood slat to the next, my fingertips brushing soothingly against yours as you hand me tools as I need them.  Looking over, I find you smiling at the memory and realize the ache I feel coming from you is dulled into a bittersweet sort of pain and I return your smile easily, thanking you for sharing your story with me.

The rest of the time is spent working in companionable silence, broken only by the occasional teasing remark and tidbits of small talk. As the last wooden slat is nailed down and secured, we both stand, arms reaching high above our heads as we stretch out our backs, your satisfied exhale matching mine as we look over our repairs.  Walking across the newly repaired roof, I feel a burst of pride as the slats hold steady, grinning as you come up behind me and wrap your arms around my stomach, your lips brushing against my ear as you tease me, “You know, I’ve worked up quite an appetite up here.”

Covering your hands with mine, I turn my head closer to you, clearing my throat before answering you, “Have you now?  I’m sure Vero has our dinner waiting as a thank you for fixing the roof.  What do you say we head back inside and see about getting fed?”

“Okay.  But, perhaps, I can have a little snack first.”

“Britt...”

Your name is interrupted by my groan, my eyes opening wide as your teeth sink into the side of my neck, my vision instantly going sharp as my eyes flood with ochre.  Bringing my hand up to grip the back of your head, I can only clutch your forearm helplessly with my other hand as your fingertips slide down to press between my legs, the feel of your tongue licking against my skin as you feed from me making my arousal dampen against the inside of my pants.  Arching my hips into the pressure, I shudder in your arms as your other hand palms my breast over my shirt, your lips wet as you pull them from my skin to press against my ear once more, “Let me have you.”

You sense my acquiescence before I even nod my head, the buttons of my pants parting easily as your nimble fingers work them down over my hips.  As the bottom of my shirt flutters to rest against my naked thighs, your hand slips under the material, my legs parting for you without hesitation as you slide your middle finger against my wetness, your teeth once again dragging across my neck as you feed.  Reaching both hands up to bury my fingers in your hair, I feel my stomach clench hard as I realize how exposed I am, standing half naked on the roof as your middle finger strokes slow circles around my clit.  I feel your feet brace more of your weight as you pull away from my neck, your free hand coming up to cup my jaw and pull my head back for a kiss, your tongue tasting of my blood.  Helpless, I spread my legs as wide as I can, cursing my limitations as the material remains bunched at my ankles.  Pulling out of the kiss, you wrap your arm around my ribs, securing me against your body as you bring two fingers to rub against my clit, my wetness starting to coat my inner thighs.

Closing my eyes, I feel your lips press against my neck, the puncture wounds closing as your breath races across my throat, your voice low and urgent as you spur me on, “You look so good right now, Santana.  I love the way you look when you submit to me.”

Your fingers pick up their pace as my legs start to tremble, my hips rolling unsteadily as my orgasm starts to tingle along my skin.  Opening my eyes, I look down and watch your hand move between my legs, my hand flying down to grip your forearm, my back arching in your embrace as I come in a sudden rush, your moan muffled against my skin as your fingertips press inside me.  Shuddering, I bite my lip and groan, your fingers slowly easing me down until I reach down and gently pull your hand away, turning in your arms as you support my weight, the cooler night air brushing across my skin as you clasp your hands against my lower back.

Before I can speak, your hand reaches down to palm my ass, your voice trembling with mirth as you whisper to me, “Looks like a full moon out tonight.”

I want to be insulted but my orgasm still has my muscles lax and all I can do is kiss you and laugh, stepping back dutifully as you bend down and pull my pants back up, both of us adjusting my clothes until I am more presentable.  Stepping forward into your embrace, I kiss your bottom lip softly, my arms going across your shoulders as I scratch my nails playfully against the back of your neck, “Did you have your fill of me, then?”

“Of course not.  But it will have to do for now.  We should probably get back downstairs.”

Tightening my arms when you go to move away from me, I pout before leaning closer and kissing the side of your throat, enjoying your shiver as my lips trail close to your ear, “But I haven’t eat yet.”

“You can eat once we’re downstairs.”

Dropping my hand to cup you lightly between your thighs, I meet your amused stare with a smirk, pressing just a little firmer as I try to convince you to stay up here, “I don’t think you want everyone to see what I had in mind for my meal, love.”

Exhaling sharply, you reach down and grab my hand, holding it against yourself as you nip lightly at my mouth, “Pervert.”

With that, you kiss me soundly and move away from me, scooping up the hammer and empty nail box and moving to the edge of the roof before turning around and looking at me expectantly.  With an even bigger pout than before, I playfully stomp my way over to your side, side-eying you as I bump you lightly with my hip, “You’re no fun.”

Taking my statement as a challenge, I have half a second to gasp as you hand me the hammer and box, scooping me up in your arms and leaping off the top of the roof, my unladylike scream cutoff by your kiss as you bend your knees, absorbing our weight as you land on the ground.  Plucking the hammer and empty box from my hands, you saunter away, your laugh finally breaking free as I take off after you, both of us skidding to a halt outside of the inn.  My laugh fades to a concerned frown as I realize that it’s quiet inside the inn, the normal noises of people talking and eating having gone silent.  Stepping past you, I let the change come, my teeth clicking down while the ochre fills my eyes once more as I look back to see you placing the hammer and box against the ground.  Putting my hand on the door handle, I send my thoughts to you, panic starting to rise as I realize that I can’t sense Robert or Declan any longer either.

_Stay behind me._

_But Santana…_

_Just do it.  Please._

You nod your head and move to stand behind me, my breath held in my chest as I pull the door open and burst into the inn, your body colliding with mine as I stop short.

“SURPRISE!!”

Looking around the room, I see that the inn is in fact filled with smiling faces, Robert’s laugh carrying over all the noise as he drapes an arm around Vero’s shoulders.  I feel your arms circle my waist as you hold me against you, my teeth retracting even as my eyes continue to be ringed in ochre, the adrenaline trying to work its way through my system.  Recognizing the people in the room as some of those that traveled and fought with us in our battle against Lucas, I finally release the breath I’d been holding, relaxing back into your embrace before Declan steps forward and sweeps me away from you.  A glass of whiskey is pressed into my hand as I’m clapped on the back and kissed on the cheek, a flash of your blonde hair going past me as you pull Robert away from Vero, a makeshift dance floor opening up in the center of the dining area as a few of the men start up a lively tune on their instruments.

Taking a healthy sip of whiskey, I finally make my way over to the bar, ducking around the side to join Vero as she pours a few glasses of honey wine and whiskey.  Leaning my elbows on the bar top, I watch you dance with Robert for a few moments, your cheeks pink with happiness and Robert’s pink with embarrassment, raising my glass in a salute as he grins at me over your shoulder.  As Vero comes to stand next to me, Bastian smoothly steps behind her and takes up the bar duties, handing a glass of water to Vero with a smile.  Clinking my glass against hers, I lean a little bit of my weight against her solid frame as we watch the people laughing and talking in the dining area, finishing my whiskey before I turn to her with an arched eyebrow, “Go up and repair the roof, huh?”

“What?  The roof needed fixing and you fixed it.”

“It just happened to conveniently be during the time when all these people were gathering in the inn?”

Smirking at me, Vero leans over and kisses my cheek, reaching out to refill my glass as Bastian hands her the bottle, “Funny how that worked out.”

Diverting my glass to Robert as he comes over to the bar, I look over to see Declan smoothly leading you around the small dance floor, the genuine smile on his face warming my heart.  Looking between Vero and Robert, I gesture to the inn, “What is all this?  Other than an attempt to give me a heart attack.”

Snorting, Robert tips his glass towards me, rolling his eyes for my benefit, “Listen to this one over here.  A heart attack.  Your heart would have to still really be beating for that to happen, Santana.”

Before I can answer him, you approach the bar and rest your elbow on Robert’s shoulder, smiling at me as you respond to Robert’s words, “Ah, but her heart does beat.  It beats for me.”

The blush on my face causes Robert to tip his head back and laugh, Vero joining him before being called over to help Bastian serve more drinks.  Pushing away from the bar stool, Robert presses a quick kiss to Brittany’s cheek before making kissy noises at me as he walks away, easily catching the glass I throw at his head with a smile.  Grabbing a bottle of whiskey and handing you a bottle of your favorite honey wine, I walk around the bar and guide us to one of the corner tables, accepting a few more greetings before finally taking my seat next to you, plucking two clean, empty glasses from a nearby table.  Watching as you pour each of us a drink, I rest my back against the wall, reaching with my free hand to hold yours under the table, your blue eyes finding mine as I speak to you, “You were in on this?”

“Of course.  We wanted to have a celebration after everything that we’ve been through but more than that, we wanted to throw a party in your honor.  After all that you’ve done, all that you sacrificed, the way that you kept us all together…it was time for you to relax finally and enjoy the peace that we have now.”

“Brittany…” My voice cuts off gruffly, emotion leading me to turn my body towards you, letting you pull me against your side as you rest your cheek against my shoulder.  The gratitude I feel is humbling and sitting in this roomful of people, I finally feel a few layers of the tension that I’ve been carrying for years slip from my shoulders.  There is just one more piece of the puzzle waiting to fall into place and as I scan the room for a familiar face, I feel a small edge of worry push into my mind.  Sitting up straighter, I keep my hand in yours as I look around the room, “Has Cian not returned from the Royal Castle?”

“I haven’t seen him yet but maybe Victor knows where he is since they were traveling together.”

As if on cue, I see Victor heading over towards our table, pausing to hand Vero a package before coming to stand before us.  Gesturing to the table, I invite him to sit but he politely declines, reaching into his jacket pocket to pull out a letter, holding it out with a smile, “Apologies, Santana.  I’ve a few more things to see to before I can join the party.”

Taking the letter, I look past Victor once more before meeting his gaze, “Is Cian with you?”

“He’s been delayed but sent along this letter in his absence.”

As Victor heads back to leave the inn, I slide my finger under the blue wax and break Cian’s seal, holding the letter towards you so we both can read his words.  After a few minutes, your hand covers mine, my eyes finding yours a few moments later, “Succinct as always, our Cian.”

Laughing lightly, you pull the letter from my hand and read it again, my gaze finding Robert and Declan’s through the crowd as I call them over to our table.  As they sit, Declan notices the broken seal and points to the letter, sneaking a sip of my whiskey before speaking, “Cian?”

“Yes.”

“Is it done, then?” Robert asks the next question, holding his hand out to take the letter from you.  As he reads, Declan meets my eyes, both he and I finally smiling as Robert slams the letter down on the table with a shout, “Fuck yeah.”

I hear you laugh next to me at Robert’s language, all of us leaning a little closer together across the table as I look down at Cian’s words, meeting each pair of eyes in turn before speaking, “I can’t believe it, after all this time.  The Royal Family is dead.”

Declan looks at the letter, frowning as he questions me, “And what of your father?  Rebekkah?”

“My father, along with two of his most loyal men and Rebekkah, has assumed a leadership position.  Cian said there is still some infighting within some of the lesser Royal cousins and, there is a rebellion in Blackpoint by some of Lucas’ followers that managed to escape, but he believes all of that will be stomped out in another week or so.  He’s going to stay there and help my father for the next few weeks.”

“San, what happens now that the Royal Family is gone?”

Raising his glass, Robert grins at you as he answers, “We drink a toast and hope that they are burning in Hell.”

Kicking his shin under the table, I arch my eyebrow as the whiskey spills over the edge of the glass, splashing Robert’s pants as Declan laughs next to him.  Cutting off Robert’s whine, I fold Cian’s letter and put it in my back pocket, leaning back against the wall as I address your question, “Revelry notwithstanding, most of us will just continue on with our lives.  Councils will have to be formed with familiars to make reparations with the humans.  We’ve existed this long living in relative harmony but the damage the Royal Family unleashed with Lucas and Kaitlin will take some time to heal.”

“Do you think your father and Rebekkah will be able to do all that?”

“Honestly?  Only time will really tell but I think so.  After what we’ve seen with Rebekkah and knowing all that my father has done?  If there’s anyone who can put things right, I have to believe it will be them.”

Declan looks to you first before leaning closer to me, his voice serious as he meets my gaze, “And what about you, Santana?  Will you join your father now?”

I see you turn to glance at me and I feel your nervousness spike at Declan’s question.  After returning from battle, we never really discussed what was going to happen with us and with the inn.  Since the moment I met you, our lives have been spent fighting and recovering from our skirmishes with Lucas, plans always being made with his demise in mind with no thought given to what happens after.  Smiling at you reassuringly, I lace my fingers with yours under the table, shrugging before answering Declan, “I’m not sure.  There’s a lot to discuss still and I think that tonight should be a night for celebration and fun.  The other things will be waiting for us tomorrow.”

Accepting my deflection, Declan stands, motioning for Robert to follow him to the bar.  Before he leaves, Robert leans across the table and rests his hand against mine, looking at you for a long moment before speaking, “Whatever you decide, wherever you go, you know Declan and I are with you both.”

Emotion keeps my voice silent so all I can do is nod, grateful as I hear your soft voice thank Robert for his words.  As he walks away to join Declan, you rest your shoulder against me, meeting me with a soft kiss as I turn to look at you.  Resting my head against the wall, I trace my eyes across your face, your blonde hair still a little bit wild from dancing, your blue eyes reflecting the light from sconces above our heads, and your mouth parted slightly as your body responds to my scrutiny.  Your thumb presses against my palm, massaging the muscles there and I lick my lips, my arousal starting to warm my blood again as you follow the motion.  The feel of your fingers against my hand makes me clench, the memory of your touch on the roof bringing a knowing smile to your lips.  Leaning forward, I press a kiss against your jaw as I let go of my thoughts, smirking as your breath rushes from your mouth.

Pulling back, you look at me in amusement, your nails scraping lightly against the back of my hand as you speak, “I thought you wanted to stay for the celebration?”

“I do.  I did.  But I’d much rather take you upstairs to our room.”

You blush beautifully as I let you see the image I have of us once we get upstairs brush against your mind, your lips curving into a smile as you grab the honey wine and make your way up the stairs.  As I turn to follow you, I take one more look across the inn, my heart full with love and affection for the people gathered here tonight, each of them playing no small role in allowing us to even be able to celebrate on this night.  Catching Vero’s eye, I tap my shirt above my heart, holding my hand there for a moment as a way to say thank you, her warm smile acknowledging my gesture.  Turning to head up the stairs, I let the anticipation of being with you push all thoughts of the party now far from my mind, my happiness rushing through me for an entirely different reason.

 

* * *

 

Pushing the door to our room open, I look around and find you already reclining on the bed, your shirt casually halfway unbuttoned as you sip slowly from the bottle of honey wine.  Shutting the door, I kick my boots off and walk towards you, feeling your unspoken request reach my mind and I quickly unbutton my shirt, letting it drop behind me as I kneel on the bed and crawl over to you.  Before I reach you, I find myself on my back, your smiling face looking down on me as you straddle my waist.  Bringing my hands to your shirt, I undo the last few buttons, running the backs of my fingers against the taut skin of your stomach.  Your hips roll forward in reaction and I watch as your eyes turn golden, my moan rumbling up from my chest as your hips repeat the motion.

Breathing deeply, you raise the wine bottle to your mouth and take a healthy pull, leaning to the side to place the bottle against the wooden table by the bed.  Settling yourself back across my waist, you brace one of your hands against the pillow behind me, your other hand curving behind my head and lifting me towards you.  Your mouth is still closed as you pull me into a kiss, my hands holding tight to your sides as you part your lips and slowly allow the wine to pour into my mouth.  My stomach clenches hard when you follow the wine with your tongue, lowering me back to the bed as you cover my body with yours, my hands sliding between us to push desperately at your unbuttoned shirt.  The hunger rises inside of me as you keep your arms down, preventing me from removing your shirt and as I feel you grin into the kiss, I pull back and watch your face as I grab the fabric and rip it in two, letting the torn material flutter to either side of the bed.  My eyes are drawn down to your naked torso, your nipples already hard in excitement and as the alcohol serves to warm its way through my bloodstream, I stop your protest over your ripped shirt by covering one of your nipples with my mouth.

Sitting up, I wrap my arms around your back, sucking just a little bit harder as you grab fistfuls of my hair and pull me closer, your moan sounding like heaven to my ears.  As I drag my lips across your chest, you tighten your fingers and yank my head back, my nails involuntarily digging into your skin at the look on your face as you speak to me, “That wasn’t very nice, Santana.  I liked that shirt.”

As your hips start to make slow rocking movements against my lower stomach, I feel your arousal rush through me and I lean up to kiss you, letting out a frustrated groan when you keep your mouth just out of reach.  Sliding my hands around to hold onto your hips, I pull you tighter against me, my teeth clicking down as you pull my head back further, my voice breathless as I respond to you, “I’ll buy you a dozen shirts just like it.”

“A dozen?”

“Yes. A hundred shirts, if you want.”

Closing my eyes in relief as you lean down and kiss me, pushing your weight forward until you have me pinned beneath you once more, I arch my back at the feel of your breasts against mine.  Your hands remained locked on my forearms, preventing me from moving how I want to, so I can only tease you through kisses, sucking your tongue into my mouth in a slow rhythm.  You and I both know that I could break free of your hold at any moment but I have to admit that being held down by you excites me, especially as you end the kiss and trail your lips across my chest.  Your hair tickles my skin and I shift under your weight, meeting your smile with a breathless laugh as you run your tongue slowly over and over against my nipple.  I let you have your fun for a few minutes, arching my head back as your tongue moves to my other nipple, your mouth warm and wet against my skin, but the ache in my belly reminds me that I never got to feed when we came down from the roof earlier.

Relaxing my body against the bed, I let you sink even closer to me, your hands sliding across my forearms to hold my hands as you bring your mouth up for a kiss.  Before your lips touch mine, I’ve pushed off the bed and flipped you over, your delighted giggle seemingly out of place for the way you look spread out across the bed.  Kneeling between your legs, I bring my hands to your pants, unbuttoning them and pulling them down over your legs as I stand at the foot of the bed, quickly removing my own pants before settling myself on my stomach between your legs.  As I nuzzle against the soft skin of your inner thigh, your hands curl into fists, bunching the sheets between your fingers as I slip my arms under your legs, my hands soothing across your lower belly.

“You know you never let me feed before, love.”

“I… _God, Santana_ …I didn’t?”

Grazing my teeth along your other thigh, my eyes are drawn to look between your legs, your arousal blatantly apparent and I can’t help but lean forward for a quick taste, holding your hips down as they buck against the pressure.  Turning my head, I suck lightly against your skin, watching your face as I feel your heels dig into the mattress next to my body, my hips rocking down against the bed as I try to find some relief.  Pursing my lips, I kiss your thigh and keep my mouth against your skin, sliding my hands up to hold your ribs as you rise up onto your elbows, your legs falling open further as you meet my gaze, “Take it now. Feed from me.”

“I will.  But first…”

Pressing forward, I open my mouth against your sex, forgoing teasing in favor of running my tongue in long, firm strokes against you, my clit pulsing as your wetness slicks across my tongue.  I can feel your trembling breaths where I’m holding you and I slide my tongue down, teasing your entrance with the tip of my tongue, groaning as I feel you clench against the pressure.  Your eyes remain half-lidded as you watch me, your body rolling with each pass of my tongue and as I flick my tongue against you, sucking you softly into my mouth, your mouth parts on a moan and the site of your teeth extended causes my stomach to flutter.  I can feel my own wetness between my thighs as I grind down against the bed and the urge to feed from you is growing almost unbearable.  Wanting to taste the pleasure in your blood when I do it, I close my eyes and devote all my attention to the little bundle of nerves against my tongue, your body’s pleasure mine to unlock as more of your wetness spreads against my chin.  As your legs shiver against my shoulders, I keep my tongue steady and am rewarded a few moments later with your panting breaths cutting off on a loud groan, the pulsing against my tongue prompting me to turn my head and bite gently into the soft flesh of your inner thigh.  Your hand finds the back of my head and you hold me closer, your hips rolling slowly as I keep my eyes closed and feed from you, the taste of you and the smell of your arousal making the ache between my legs seem almost painful.

Sensing my body’s needs, you pull me away from your thigh, cupping the back of my head and pulling me into a wet kiss, your other hand finding its way between my legs as I straddle your body.  Your tongue sweeps through my mouth and we both moan into the kiss, my hips bearing down on your fingers as soon as you slide them against my wetness.  Sucking on my bottom lip, you pull back and rest your head against the pillow, your blue eyes tinged with ochre as you slip inside of me, “Mmm...so eager.  Even after the roof, you still want more?”

Curling my hips, I brace my hands above your shoulders and arch my back as your palm brushes against my clit, my hair falling over my shoulders as I look down to watch your fingers move inside of me before meeting your gaze, “Always.  I’ll always want more of you… _Brittany_ …”

I moan your name as you pulse your fingers inside of me, your desire mixing with mine as you pull me down into another deep kiss, my senses overwhelmed with the feel and taste of you against my tongue.  Using your strength, you flutter your fingers faster and deeper, the muscles in my thighs aching as I rub myself against your palm, my timing getting sloppier and sloppier as my pleasure builds.  Wanting to watch you as I finally let go, I push up and look you, my skin tingling as your free hand cups my face, your bottom lip caught between your teeth as my orgasm finally overtakes me.  My stomach clenches hard as I grind down against your hand, groan after groan falling from my lips as I keep my eyes on your face, my muscles trembling as I finally drop down to pant against your chest.  Lifting my hips as you slip from inside me, I curl myself against your side, our legs sliding together as you turn and wrap your arms around my shoulders, pulling me closer with a happy noise.

Content to lie in your arms for a few moments, I press my lips against your shoulder, reaching up to trace my fingers against the pendant sitting between your breasts.  Shifting so I can prop my head up on my hand, I brush your hair back from your face and lean forward to give you a soft kiss, humming into the sensation as you run your fingertips back and forth across my back.  A few seconds pass before your face gets serious, your blue eyes flickering between mine as you speak, “San?  About what Declan said earlier?  Have you thought about what to do now, whether you’re going to join your father?”

“I’ve given it some thought, yes.”

“You know that I will support whatever decision you make, right?”

Cupping your face, I brush my thumb across your cheek slowly, nodding my head with my answer, “I know, sweetheart.  And I can’t tell you what that means to me.”

“Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.”

“And what if I wanted to stay here and continue to run the inn?  Not just as a base of operations but to open our doors to more travelers and really run the inn the way my father did before he was changed.  Would you be happy living this quiet life with me?”

Reaching up, you press my hand against your face, turning your head to press a kiss against my palm before smiling at me, “Nothing would make me happier than to wake up next to you here, in this bed, forever.”

The weight of my love for you in that moment threatens to break me and I feel the tears gather in the corner of my eyes.  I feel your emotions as you open our connection and I am helpless to do anything but lean forward and kiss you, the soft press of your lips against mine sealing our decision.  Shifting onto my back, I pull you against me, kissing your hair as you settle your head against my chest, your arm wrapping around my stomach.  Holding you close, I look out of the bedroom window and feel a sense of peace settle inside of me.  For the first time in a long time, the thought of the coming days don’t bring with it the threat of fear and of loss.  For the first time in a long time, my future seems filled with nothing but promise and hope and I can’t wait to spend it together with you.


End file.
